


Lost Forever, Lost Together

by Agido6



Category: Future World (2018), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Dahyun's not gonna be in this too much sorry, Drug Use, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Inspired by Future World (2018), Minor Minatozaki Sana/Park Jisoo | Jihyo, Momo is pretty dark in this one, Violence, like anyone actually watched that movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:01:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29725932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agido6/pseuds/Agido6
Summary: After a global war between AIs and humans destroyed most of Earth, scattering the remaining humans and sending the machines into hiding, the only survivors left are either violent raiders or scavenging drifters. Hirai Momo is an unpredictable, sadistic warlord who travels the Wasteland, taking over settlements, accompanied by Raiders and her beautiful, stoic android, Mina.Im Nayeon is a drifter with invaluable mechanical skills working off a debt to Park Jihyo, drug lord and one of the only people Momo can't intimidate. When Momo arrives with a damaged Mina in tow, demanding for Jihyo's best worker to fix her, it sets off a connection between human and machine thought impossible.
Relationships: Hirai Momo/Myoui Mina, Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina
Comments: 81
Kudos: 149





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I watched this super terrible movie called Future World the other day, and although most of it was garbage and doesn't deserve to be mentioned, the basic premise was super interesting to me. I kept thinking and thinking about different scenarios, and I finally had to get it down. I've never really written anything like this before, so I think it'll be fun. 
> 
> This first chapter is just a setup to the rest of the world, so sorry if it seems a little short. Much more, and the other characters, will be fleshed out with the next update.

Desolation. 

Blistering. 

Despair. 

These were the only kind of terms one could use to describe the Wasteland- the remainders of Earth. Once, it had been a thriving, beautiful planet, but since the War, that era had long since been disregarded. Those who still remembered the Before Times either never mentioned them, or silently lamented at night, too frightened to end it all and be free of this hell. 

Hirai Momo was neither of those people. Her views on existence had _improved_ since the War: it brought her leadership, freedom, and the opportunity to kill and eliminate any threats to her manner of living without consequence. And Mina. 

Mina: her angel, her property, her perfect, uncorrupt gem. Mina was _hers,_ one of the only androids left, and Momo would be damned if anyone tried to take her away. 

"What are you thinking about, sweet thing?" Momo murmured, taking in the landscape before them, as Mina seemed to be. The environment never _truly_ changed, unless they came across a settlement, but Momo found beauty in the harsh yellow sunlight, the sand strewn across as far as the eye could see, the craggy brown rocks forming the hills and mountains that the Raiders were so familiar with. 

Mina didn't answer for a moment. Then, a slow turn of her head. "I am not sure. I suppose....what our next destination will look like." 

Momo chuckled, brushing a lock of hair off of Mina's shoulder. It would never stop being adorable how Mina acted so reflective, so deep and pensive when she was incapable of achieving deeper thoughts. Of course, Momo could wipe her hard drive, or order her to be molded any way she wanted, but Momo preferred her like this. A little rebellion kept things interesting, and there was nothing Momo despised more than being bored. Besides, Mina knew who she belonged to. 

"Nothing to look forward to in the Wasteland. But if we come across a settlement....well, you know what we'll do." 

Mina met Momo's eyes. _What a pretty little thing,_ Momo thought. "I do know. But sometimes I wonder...."

"Oh?" Momo scratched at the sand caked into her pants, a little more curious than she'd like to let on. Sometimes Mina went off into her headspace, wondering about why things happened this way or that, and it amused Momo to entertain it for the most part. Only if she didn't bring it up to the Raiders, of course. None of them needed to be thinking outside of the box. 

"Is this our purpose? Is this what I was created for? Is this all that we can expect of life?" Mina asked quietly. Momo glanced around, thankful that Jeongyeon and Tzuyu were still off with the other Raiders, scavenging the abandoned haven for gas, because none of them needed to hear this. Mina was especially contemplative today, and perhaps it was cute, but too much freedom was unwise. 

Momo trailed a hand up Mina's arm, marveling yet again at how those blithering, annoying fucks from the Before Times had created such realistic physical attributes, and rested her fingers on the side of Mina's neck. "Too many questions are dangerous, haven't I taught you that? All you'll ever need to know, I'll tell you. I hope you aren't forgetting your place, sweet thing." She applied just a bit of pressure, just enough to feel the difficulty in Mina's swallowing. 

"Are you?" 

"No. Never." 

Momo grinned, dropping her hand from Mina's neck and turning her to face Momo. "Good. Because your purpose is to be with me. Just me. As long as you remember that, you'll be fine. Who do you belong to?"

"You." said Mina softly. That fleeting, questioning look had vanished from those pretty eyes, and she was compliant and perfect again. Just how Momo liked her. 

"Good girl. Now, come here."

God, Mina's lips were dangerous. No one in the Before Times had made Momo lose composure the way Mina could, like she was built just for Momo's wants and desires. And even though she wasn't hers to begin with, Momo had spent _years_ building and crafting her in the image Momo desired. All her efforts had paid off, and as Mina let out a tiny sigh to kiss her back, Momo seriously considered saying to hell with the gas and taking her right here, right now, in the fucking Wasteland. Another reminder to the Raiders that Mina was for her, and her only- 

"Uh, Momo?" 

Momo groaned as she pulled away from Mina, glaring fiercely at Jeongyeon and Tzuyu. Jeongyeon had her helmet tucked under one arm and a gas can dangling from the other, looking tired and sunburned under all that dirt coating her skin. Tzuyu's helmet was hooked onto her belt, also holding a gas can but looking unaffected. 

"That's not how you fucking address me." Momo snapped, hand drifting to her belt on instinct. 

"Sorry, Warlord." Jeongyeon's mouth twisted. "We found the gas, but there's a problem." 

"Prominent enough that you had to interrupt me?" Momo sighed. "You're a big girl, Jeongyeon, surely you don't need me to hold your hand on _everything?"_ Mina's hands were still loosely clasped around her waist, and she could feel Mina rub her thumb soothingly over the small of her back, which made her relax. 

"I'll make it brief then. There's signs of other occupation here. Possible Raiders. I don't think it's wise to keep hanging around." Jeongyeon muttered. Momo glanced at Tzuyu, then the other Raiders a few yards away, hunched over their bikes and sharing the gas they'd collected. 

"Tzuyu?" Momo prompted. Tzuyu was the only person Momo even came close to trusting aside from herself, seeing as they'd been together even before Momo had found Mina. She was cold and ruthless and almost dangerously smart, leading the raids in Momo's place sometime. But, for those reasons, Momo slept with one eye open at night. Can never be too careful. 

"She's right." said Tzuyu. "There's indication of Raider activity all throughout this area, long before we got here. Maybe they're trying to make something out of this area, but it's possible that they have formidable forces." 

Momo sighed exaggeratedly. Of course, just when she was getting to catch her breath and put her weapons away. Oh well. 

"All right, all right, I get the picture. Is there enough gas to keep going?" 

"Yeah, we just need to fill our own bikes and we can take off." Jeongyeon replied. 

"Excellent. Go fill my tank and I'll be with you in a moment." Momo ordered, looking back at Mina as Jeongyeon and Tzuyu headed for the other Raiders. 

"What do you think, doll? Should we be afraid, or should I tell them to grow some balls?" Momo murmured, leaning in to nip possessively at Mina's neck. 

"It does seem....ominous. A sensation I have not perceived at the other settlements." Mina replied. Momo drew away, frowning. Mina's sense for danger was above any of theirs, of course, but she never picked up on it at these dead structures. And in that case, Momo was taking no chances. 

"Everyone get your shit together!" Momo shouted, striding toward the Raiders. "Mina's detected something strange lingering around here, and it's time we moved on." 

"I just told you that." Jeongyeon grumbled from where she knelt beside her bike. "But if _Mina_ says it..." 

Momo paused on her way towards her own bike, and then looked up at Mina. "Go wait on the seat for me, doll. I'll be there in a moment." When Mina obeyed, Momo slid her knife from her belt, twirling it in her fingers casually. 

"What have I told you about talking about Mina?" 

"Uh, that-" 

Momo didn't wait for the full reply, instead slashing at the water pouch hanging from the side of Jeongyeon's bike and cocking her head as the liquid began to splash onto the sizzling dirt, instantly being absorbed. Jeongyeon dropped the gas can, staring at the pouch in horror. 

"It's like a hundred miles from the closest haven!" 

Momo nodded thoughtfully. "So it is." 

With a tiny _snick,_ Momo was pressed up against Jeongyeon's back, blade digging into her throat and delighting in the way she could _feel_ the muscles work nervously. "Remember that next time you open your fucking mouth." she whispered into Jeongyeon's ear, patting her cheek. 

Straightening up, she unhooked her helmet from her belt and slipped it over her head. "Raiders! It's time we depart! Make sure-"

A low rumble resonated in the air, but Momo didn't immediately register what it was. It was so unusual for anyone else to come across them, to _challenge_ them, that the familiar growl of the engines didn't click for her. At least, until the Raiders began shouting and revving their own bikes. 

" _Now_ do you believe me?" Jeongyeon yelled, snatching her own machete from her bag and dashing towards the incoming intruders. Momo swore, darting for her bike and her enhanced blade. 

"Mina, activate Sequence: Extermination!" 

Mina's eyes flashed icy blue, and Momo had to smirk even as she flung herself into the thick of the fight. This was one of her favorite parts about her little angel: the way she turned from a docile android to cold-blooded assassin at a mere few words from Momo. 

And _this,_ Momo thought with a shiver of pleasure as she drove her blade through an intruder, watching as he collapsed to the ground with strangled chokes, was the reason she still felt so alive on this shithole of a planet. The way the air was crackling with guttural battle screams, blood spurting beautifully against the hazy yellowed environment, and the _dance_ between the two sides, the push and pull of blows being exchanged, the occasional dying gasp, the lethal sinking of blade into flesh and even further than that, it was like a symphony. 

"Warlord!" yelled a Raider from somewhere to her left. Momo laughed as she pulled her machete through the side of a particularly stupid intruder, regretting that she couldn't take her time and punish him properly for trying to _dominate_ her. "Your android!" 

_Mina?_

Momo whipped around in the heat of the bodies, squinting against the sunlight to see Mina driving a knife again and again into one of the intruders, but her side....her side was sliced open, leaking fluid all over the dirt. Precious fluid, the lifeblood that she couldn't do without. 

Momo snarled, flinging her blade with enough force to pierce into the skull of the pathetic lowlife violating Mina, and sprinted towards Mina's side. "Shit, shit, shit. Sweet thing, how are you feeling?"

Mina's eyes flickered, this time with a spark of silver, and Momo's heart clenched. Silver meant her system was deteriorating, losing valuable essence. Momo couldn't have that. "I....I hurt, Momo." she whispered. "I fear I am wounded." 

"Change of plans!" Momo yelled, scooping Mina into her arms and cradling her against her chest. "Leave these fucking leeches to decay out here, we don't need their loot. We're going to a different settlement!" 

"Where to, Warlord?" Tzuyu asked, wiping her machete off on the jacket of a slain intruder and rising to her feet. 

There was only one person Momo could think of that had the ability to save Mina...or rather, had access to someone with the ability to fix her. Much as Momo didn't trust that snake, there was no choice. Mina was _hers._ Nothing and no one could take her away, not even the approximation of death that androids faced. 

"Set course for the Refuge. It's long overdue for me to pay Jihyo a visit." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about Momo: It might seem like she has actual affection for Mina, but to her, Mina is property, first and foremost. Androids aren't on equal level with humans in her mindset, and Mina's more of a pretty toy she's fond of, and insanely possessive over. So keep that in mind if you ever start rooting for them lol 
> 
> This is another side project I'm working on, so updates will be sporadic


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a heads up, 
> 
> I did already put it in the tags, but Momo is definitely going to be doing some messed up things throughout this fic, so if the thought of that bothers you, I would strongly advise against reading any further.

Nayeon pushed her goggles above her hairline, wiping uselessly at the dirt smudged across her forehead with her already filthy rag. 

“How the hell do they get their bikes in this condition?” she muttered under her breath, poking cautiously at one of the sprockets she was fiddling with. It was like they thought they could just acquire new ones whenever. Not like they were living through a major global apocalypse or anything. 

Nayeon stepped away from Chaeyoung’s bike, deciding to take a break for a bit, and set down her wrench, perching on the edge of her worktable and reaching for her cup of water. Sunlight was pouring in from the small window on the garage door, weak and subtle instead of harsh and relentless as usual, and Nayeon liked that. The thought of having to go out later to scavenge for spare parts, even with Sana or Chaeyoung, was exhausting. Sometimes she thought she’d imagined there ever being any other type of environment other than this: dry, scorched earth, hazy heat waves, and always the burning sensation of _thirst._

She glanced at the wall above her bed, where she kept her tally marks. There was a small sense of satisfaction in scratching them off after each day’s work, although it didn’t really matter, one way or another. Jihyo knew how long she had left, and Jihyo was the one who decided when Nayeon’s debt was repaid...

_Nayeon couldn’t take it anymore. She stumbled another step forward, her knees buckling under the pressure of advancing, and she collapsed, face hitting the sand with a stinging thump._

_How long had she been wandering out here? Days? Weeks? It was impossible to keep track, and what was the point of pushing on? She was a goner anyway. The escape hadn’t been worth it. She’d lost Jennie and Jisoo to those sick Raiders, and any chances of her making it on her own were slim to none. She vaguely noted the sensation of her empty canteen pressing hotly against her stomach._

_Just get it over with, Nayeon silently begged to whatever divine force was out there._

_Please…._

_Instead of being granted the release she wanted, Nayeon could hear the unmistakable rumble of engines, gradually drawing closer, and she wanted to cry. Unfortunately, she didn’t think she had enough moisture left in her body._

_The engines idled, and footsteps steadily approached. Nayeon’s eyes stayed closed._

_“Damn, what do we have here?”_

_“She still looks relatively fresh. Check if she’s alive.”_

_There was a grunt, and Nayeon whimpered as someone turned her over roughly. Rugged, dry fingers pressed against her wrist, then the pulse point in her neck._

_“She’s breathing, Jihyo.”_

_Nayeon’s body lit up with a current of fear as she felt another presence lean over her. More Raiders? The same ones who took Jennie and killed Jisoo? She didn’t want to die like this, not at their hand, not after she promised Jennie she would get away._

_“Can you hear me?” asked a calm, dangerously quiet voice. Nayeon’s eyes slid open to see a figure knelt over her, donned in a dust brown leather jacket, spikes adorning the shoulder pads, and black pants covered in sand, and one of those Raider helmets with the horns jutting out of the top. Another girl stood a little ways away, looking inquisitively down at Nayeon, with her own helmet tucked under her arm._

_“Y-Yes.”_

_“Well, how about that?” said the standing girl, a trace of surprise in her voice. “She’s more resilient than I would’ve thought.”_

_The other figure held up a hand. Between Nayeon’s inability to see their face from the helmet, and the way they were outlined in a silhouette against the daylight, she felt like maybe….she really was dying, and here was the Devil, come to take her to hell._

_“What’s your name?” asked the figure._

_“N-Nayeon.” Nayeon croaked, coughing as dust clouds swept past their bodies._

_“Nayeon…..well, Nayeon. My partner Chaeyoung here and I have a problem.” said the figure slowly. Chaeyoung groaned._

_“Are you seriously going onto one of your tangents right now? She’s_ dying, _Jihyo._ ” 

_Jihyo held up a hand again, and Chaeyoung fell silent. “Our problem is that this is our territory, Nayeon. And you’re intruding on it. I don’t mean to sound cruel, but we don’t take very kindly to strangers. Not without very good reasoning, I’m sure you can understand. But, I’m a reasonable person, and I’m willing to hear you out. So, what are you doing here?”_

_Nayeon’s throat closed up, not just from the burning thirst, but from terror, terror that she was going to give the wrong answer. Giving the wrong answer would almost certainly bring on torture, torture for the crime of trying to escape her former hell and find someone decent left in the Wasteland._

_"Stupid- fucking- bike-” Chaeyoung growled from behind them, kicking at the back tire as her bike sputtered._

_A flicker of desperate hope sparked in Nayeon’s mind. “Do you need...mechanical assistance?” she asked hoarsely, attempting to push herself up onto her elbows, and wincing as the sand dug into the skin._

_“Uh, yeah. Our bikes keep malfunctioning. You know anything about that stuff?” Chaeyoung asked, expression skeptical. Jihyo remained silent, but Nayeon could sense that her approval was the most important incentive here, her ticket out of this hell. If not…..she might as well start digging her own grave._

_“I do, actually. I have extensive experience from my job before the War…” Nayeon trailed off as she coughed again. Jihyo looked at Chaeyoung, and then extended a hand to Nayeon, who stared at it for a moment before pulling herself to her feet, legs shaky._

_“I think we could work out an arrangement, Nayeon. You have something, if you're telling the truth, that I could desperately use. But first..."_

_Jihyo drew a small black bottle with a twist cap out of her jacket pocket, and handed it to Nayeon. "Drink. You look parched."_

It wasn't like Nayeon was ungrateful to Jihyo for choosing to take her on, seeing as her other likely outcome would've been to die of dehydration or gotten her throat slit. But...this was her life now. Working on dirt bikes and broken machinery, not exactly as a prisoner but unable to leave until Jihyo decided that her debt had been paid. Since hardly anyone had mechanical skills in these times, Nayeon didn't think that moment would come any time soon. 

Of course, the situation wasn't all bad. Chaeyoung was someone she could talk to, who could keep her company when she wasn't out scavenging, or keeping the drug pushers in Jihyo's den in line. Sana was nice too, although Jihyo was extremely protective of her. One lingering glance could get Nayeon shanked from behind without ever seeing it coming. 

Nayeon sighed wearily, looking around the mechanic's garage that she called home. Was _this_ what she'd promised Jennie that she'd escape to, and live for? Was all this a fair exchange for the loss of Jisoo? 

She took another swallow of water, wiping again at her forehead before straightening up. Despite the dreariness of it all, she knew that once she was released, the goal she was working for would be fulfilling enough to make it all worth it. Everyone knew that there were still androids out there, few and far between, but they _existed._ And if Nayeon could get the chance to find one, to work on it and bring it back to a normal state, maybe even turn it into a companion....that was all she really wanted. 

"Nayeon."

Nayeon looked up from the worktable to see Chaeyoung propped in the doorway, her expression unusually grim.

"No, I'm not done yet. You really fucked this one up this time. Can't you and the boys go a little easier when you're out racing?" Nayeon complained, snatching her wrench and pulling her goggles back down. 

"This isn't about that. Someone's here. To see you." 

Nayeon paused, flashing a questioning look at Chaeyoung. Who could- she didn't have anyone left to worry about, no one that would come looking for her in this hellhole. Not since Jennie. 

She pushed that thought away. "Who is it?"

Chaeyoung glanced behind herself, running a slightly trembling hand through her hair, which surprised Nayeon. She was the most laidback among all of the crew. Sure, Chaeyoung could get as intense as anyone else, although never as much as Jihyo. Most of the time, though, she and Nayeon were either arguing over stupid things or drinking whiskey in the garage, from the alcohol stash Jihyo kept for disinfectants, Molotovs, or whenever things got too overwhelming and one of them needed a snort to make it through the day. Which was often. 

"It's- Raiders showed up with-" 

Chaeyoung cut off as Jihyo appeared next to her, face absolutely blank. Nayeon had learned to decipher some of Jihyo's more subtle expressions in her time here: the flash of amusement in her eyes when she was trying to be serious, the sparks of annoyance when Sana was giving attention to someone other than her for too long, and the cold steel that indicated she was about to snap. But this- this was her business mask, one she almost never wore because it was for matters of serious importance, and hardly any real traders or leaders passed through. 

"Nayeon." Jihyo said impassively. "I have something I need you to fix." 

Nayeon glanced at Chaeyoung, who wouldn't meet her eyes. An uncomfortable feeling began brimming in her chest. "Um, all right." Nayeon replied, dropping the wrench back on the table. "What is it?" 

"An android." 

"An....an _android?_ You have an android?" Nayeon sputtered. Jihyo shook her head. 

"She belongs to Hirai Momo, and her system is quickly declining."

"Hirai- _Warlord Hirai Momo?"_

Oh God. 

This is why Chaeyoung wouldn't look at her, and why Jihyo was so deathly serious. Warlord Hirai was the stuff of legends, in a terrible way. Back at the Haven, before Raiders invaded it, mothers would tell their children that if they were bad, Warlord Hirai would come and steal them away. There was no Raider more feared in the entire Wasteland, and Nayeon had never even seen her before, although she knew that sometimes she traded with Jihyo for her more hardcore drugs. 

"Nayeon." Jihyo was staring at her with quiet, narrow eyes. "You're going to fix her android. You will." 

It wasn't a show of faith, or a request. It was an order, and Nayeon got the feeling that she would lose a lot more than her tools if she let Jihyo down. 

"Y-yeah. I....have them bring her in..." 

Jihyo nodded and disappeared into the hall, Chaeyoung following her with a pitying glance in Nayeon's direction. Nayeon scrambled to clear off a workspace, pushing Chaeyoung's bike against the wall and pulling out the replacement fluid for androids, the needlenose pliers she would need... 

"Right this way, Warlord." she heard Sana's voice chirp, and then Sana was leading a woman inside, a Raider helmet dangling from her belt and an android cradled in her arms. The woman locked eyes with Nayeon, whose lungs seemed to shrivel inside her chest at the force of her gaze. It wasn't like Jihyo, who was merely intimidating and commanding. But there was something dark in those eyes, something dangerous and unstable and a warning in itself. 

"You're the miracle worker?" Warlord Hirai asked, tilting her head unnaturally. It reminded Nayeon of a cobra's sinuous movements.

"I- I'm the mechanic, yes." Nayeon replied. 

Warlord Hirai glanced at her setup, and then gestured with her chin at the android in her grasp. "Where can I set her down?" 

"R-right here, Warlord." Nayeon stammered, pointing at the worktable and hurriedly wiping dust off its surface. Warlord Hirai nodded, glancing at Sana as she set the android down gently. 

"You're excused." she directed at Sana, who hastily bowed and ducked out of the garage. Warlord Hirai didn't speak for a moment, tracing her fingers through the android's soft looking dark hair, and looked back up at Nayeon. 

"Jihyo is a pain in my ass, but I've come to trust her judgment when it comes to business. She told me that she's had you for months, and you've never failed to come through on a job."

Nayeon swallowed, feeling a tiny burst of pride that Jihyo had spoken of her so highly. And to Warlord Hirai, no less. "That's right. My record is absolutely flawless." 

Warlord Hiari stepped away from the android, her gaze entirely locked on Nayeon's again, and her hand drifted to her belt. "That's something I like to hear. Because this here, this is my doll. This is my angel, Mina. She belongs to me, you understand? She's _mine._ I knew when I found her that it was destined, for me to shape her and help her grow. And I can't just let all that effort go to waste, can I? She's too lovely for that. I hope you understand that."

"I do, Warlord. I'll do my best."

_Snick_

Nayeon froze, trying her hardest not to swallow as Warlord Hirai's knife dug into the bottom of her chin, forcing her head to turn this way and that. 

"Good, good. I expect nothing but the best from any of my Raiders, and I trust Jihyo does the same of her workers. However, if your best isn't enough to save Mina..." 

Warlord Hirai smiled wolfishly and stepped away, examining the drop of blood on the edge of her blade before bringing it to her mouth. "I don't think you want to find out." 

Nayeon's nails dug into her palms enough to sting as Warlord Hirai left the room. _Well, my life is on the line here. No pressure. None at all._

For the first time, she looked at the android- Mina. Nayeon couldn't remember the last time she'd seen one in person, but she didn't remember them looking so realistic....or so beautiful. Even pale as she was, Mina was gorgeous. Nayeon's heart clenched for some odd reason as she began gathering tools, pulling up her stool to examine Mina's side.

"God, they really did a number on you, didn't they?" Nayeon whispered as she peered at the slit in Mina's side, silver fluid leaking out and pooling on the worktable. Thankfully, this was something she could work with. She strapped her goggles back on and carefully pulled at the flaps of artificial skin, exposing the cut wires inside. 

Nayeon was in a different headspace entirely when she went into work mode. Things made sense here in a way they never did anywhere else: cross these wires and this circuits. Twist this gear and it tightens that area. Her concentration narrowed down to just the wound and her fingers, her tools, draining the excess fluid to reach the gash and reconnect the wires. She looked around for her staple gun and reloaded the clip. 

Six makeshift stitches later, and Nayeon was confident that this android would pull through. She grabbed a new washcloth, dabbing a little water on it and wiping the area around the wound before taking a deep breath.

"All right, Mina, this is the moment of truth. For you, and for me." 

Nayeon brushed the hair away from Mina's throat, impressed at how naturalistic it felt, and pressed the small silver activation button on her neck. She leaned away hesitantly as Mina's eyelids flickered, flashing dark blue, and then opened fully. 

"Um...hello." Nayeon said awkwardly. 

Mina's gaze drifted to hers, and she sat up. 

"Who are you?" 

_What a pleasant voice she has..._

"Um, my name's Nayeon. I'm a mechanic. Well, sort of. I have the skills, but I'm not really a mechanic. I just....work on machinery. For uh..." Nayeon trailed off, aware she was rambling to an android and feeling absolutely ridiculous. 

Mina glanced at the rest of the garage. "Where am I?" 

"In my humble abode." Nayeon replied, waving a hand at the bed pushed up against the far wall. "And the space I work out of. You had an accident, I understand. But don't worry, you're all good."

Mina's gaze returned to hers, and Nayeon was almost unnerved at how intense it was. Different from Jihyo, different from Warlord Hirai....like every word Nayeon said was important. 

"You repaired me?" Mina questioned. Nayeon nodded, leaning forward and touching the jagged scar across her side. 

"It was nothing. Just a simple cleaning and sewing-"

Mina moved so fast that Nayeon almost fell off the stool, settling herself on Nayeon's lap and arms curling around her neck. 

"Whoa! Whoa, what are you doing?" Nayeon yelped, trying to squirm away but fully aware she would end up on her ass on the floor if she did. 

"You repaired me." Mina whispered, tilting her head just the way Warlord Hirai had before, but it wasn't scary this time. More like....enticing. "That is warrant for a show of appreciation."

"Yeah, but a simple thank you would suffice!" Nayeon choked out. It was really hard not to notice how absolutely soft and warm Mina felt, unbelievably realistic for an android...but this was _not_ the time. If Warlord Hirai came and saw this, Nayeon's head would take less than a second to be detached from her body. 

"It....would?" Mina asked. She looked genuinely puzzled. Nayeon nodded hastily, gently pushing Mina off of her lap and leaping around so the stool was between them. 

"Yeah, you don't need to...I dunno, give me a lap dance or whatever you were trying to do. I was just doing my job. And it was really no problem." Nayeon assured her. Mina's lower lip jutted out in a thoughtful pout. 

"This is most curious. Momo has always taught me to show my appreciation for her Raiders. And she has always told me that the best way for me to do that is with my body. She has always said that it is my best asset." 

Nayeon's eyebrows pulled together. "You...fuck her crew if they do something nice for you?" 

Mina looked up at her, a gleam of amusement in her gaze. "Only Momo is allowed to touch me in that manner. But generally anything else they would like, yes." 

"Do you agree to it?" Nayeon asked, beginning to feel repulsed. Maybe Mina wasn't human, but androids could still think and feel for themselves and this all sounded vile. 

"It is not up to me. Momo decides for me." Mina answered. 

"Are they....considerate?" 

Mina's eyes flickered, with a flash of deep purple, something Nayeon had never seen in an android's eyes. "Not all of the time. Sometimes....sometimes they are rough. But Momo wants me to please them, and I am to please Momo."

Nayeon's stomach twisted on itself, and she shook her head. "Listen, you've got the right to express yourself just as much as any of them. Just because you aren't human doesn't mean you can't feel. That's disgusting and horrible." she snapped. It shouldn't come as a shock to her that Warlord Hirai of all people would mistreat an android, but Mina didn't seem like just any android. 

Mina's mouth was slightly open, her head cocked to the side again. "I....I have never been told this before." 

"Big surprise, seeing who you run with." Nayeon snorted. Mina considered her for a moment, and then smiled warmly. It was almost cute. Cute! The thoughts Nayeon was having today. 

"I think I like you, Nayeon. Do you think you could take me to Momo?" Mina asked, twisting her fingers together in such a human like gesture that Nayeon had to stare. 

"Um, sure. Yeah. She's probably with Jihyo...follow me?" Nayeon suggested, gesturing for Mina to follow her out of the garage and down the hall. She could hear the sounds of the drug pushers babbling in the den to the left, but Jihyo didn't like to spend too much time around them, so she was probably in the front room. 

Nayeon's assumption was correct. As they walked in, several people were lounging on the broken couches: Chaeyoung, Jihyo with Sana curled up against her shoulder, Warlord Hirai, and two women Nayeon had never seen but assumed to be part of Warlord Hirai's Raiders, seeing as they had the same kind of helmets. They all glanced up as Nayeon and Mina entered, and something like relief passed over Chaeyoung's face. 

"Wow, Jihyo, you weren't kidding." said Warlord Hirai, gradually sitting up with an almost lascivious look on her face. "Sweet thing looks good as new. Not a hair out of place. Come here, doll." She patted her lap, and Mina paused just a moment, looking back at Nayeon. 

"Momo, I-"

"Mina." Warlord Hirai's voice changed, into something darker and clipped, and Mina's back immediately straightened. Without another word, she crossed the room and nestled herself against Warlord Hirai, who purred as she ran a hand through Mina's hair and kissed her. 

"What a pretty little doll I have. She's one of the last of her kind, you know." Warlord Hirai bragged to no one in particular. The two women exchanged sour glances. Warlord Hirai shifted her gaze to Nayeon. 

"I owe you a round of thanks, Nayeon. You delivered on what you promised, and for that, I am grateful." She looked over at Jihyo. "And since she did deliver on what she promised, I'm ready to talk business with you. Jeongyeon, Tzuyu, how about you stay out here and get to know them, hmm?" 

The taller woman of Warlord Hirai's Raiders sighed. "I suppose. Jeongyeon, is your bike stable now?" 

"Yeah." Jeongyeon answered. "You wanna do some scavenging?" 

"Ooh, can I come with? I haven't been scavenging in ages." Sana asked eagerly, sitting up. Jeongyeon shrugged. 

"Fine with me. You there, your name's Chaeyoung? You want to come too?" 

Chaeyoung rubbed at the dirt streaked across her face and nodded. "Yeah, sure, why not. You too, Nayeon?" 

Nayeon didn't especially want to stay here among the leering Raiders and the pushers, or watch Warlord Hirai treat Mina like a piece of meat. "Just let me grab my helmet." 

The room dispersed, Chaeyoung joining Jeongyeon and Tzuyu and chattering surprisingly easily. Sana leapt up, but not before Jihyo grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. 

"Be careful, sweetheart." Jihyo murmured, touching Sana's cheek briefly, with that soft look in her eyes she only ever got for Sana. Remarkable how one girl could turn their hardcore drug lord leader into a mushy mess with just a few touches and smiles. Sana leaned over and kissed Jihyo softly, tracing a thumb over her cheekbone. 

"I always am, love." 

Warlord Hirai motioned for Mina to get off of her lap. "You can go with them too, sweet thing. It would do you good to be in the company of actual competence for once." Mina smiled briefly and nodded, following Sana out of the room. 

"I'll be with you in a moment, Jihyo. Nayeon, can I speak to you?" 

"Uh, sure." Nayeon turned to face Warlord Hirai, a little confused at the conversational tone of her voice as opposed to before. "What's the-" 

_WHAM_

Nayeon's vision went fuzzy as Warlord Hirai slammed her into the wall, one hand wrapped around her throat, fingers tightening around her windpipe. 

"You think I can't tell what's going on with Mina when she's not around me?" Warlord Hirai whispered, digging her knee into Nayeon's midriff. "I'm in tune with her. That button she's got on her throat? A direct pipeline to one that I have on my person at all times. You think I'm _disgusting and horrible,_ hmm?" 

Nayeon couldn't suck in a breath, couldn't respond to anything being said, and panic began to flood her brain as she struggled to inhale. 

"I know what's best for Mina _and_ my Raiders. She does what I want, when I want it, and you know why? Because she's _mine._ If I need her to please them, so be it. If I need her to take a blade for one of them, so be it. You understand that?" 

Nayeon nodded as best she could with the edges of her vision darkening and her lungs constricting. 

"Good." Warlord Hirai flung her to the ground. Nayeon gasped, coughing for air and curling up on her side in an useless defensive gesture. 

"You really did do a good job on her though. I'll give you that." Warlord Hirai admitted, and chuckled darkly as she left the room, the sound of her boots clicking against the metal ominous and thundering. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do know it's fucked up, but I just really love writing darker moments and characters. It's so much more interesting to flesh out and see where they progress as the story continues. 
> 
> Not every chapter will be as heavy as this, though, I like writing fluff too much for that. 
> 
> Writing Mina's AI dialogue is the most difficult part of this fic so far, what a challenge.


	3. Chapter 3

“I have to admit, I’m a little surprised at the way you run your crew, Jihyo.” Momo mused. 

Jihyo looked remotely back at her, fingers steepled together under her chin from across the table. They’d gone into what passed for an office in the Refuge: an unused storage space that Jihyo had managed to find a worn grey table for, with a small row of storm windows letting in light from behind her. Momo assumed she used this space as a form of intimidation, placing herself in a position with her back to the wall to remind people who was in charge here. It was cute.

“And why is that?” Jihyo asked. Calm and remote as always. Everything she said was with a detached, carefully controlled demeanor. Momo was perfectly aware of the reason: it helped to keep her crew and the drug addicts shooting up in line, wary, on their toes. But God, how boring. Passion was such a useful tool. Emotions made life _exciting._

“They have so much….freedom.” Momo let the word roll off her tongue sourly, not liking the way it fit in her mouth. “It’s clear that they don’t fear you the way the Raiders do me.”

Jihyo’s mouth curled at the corner, and she leaned forward. “Believe it or not, I’ve found that people tend to be more willing to listen to me if they’re not wondering every moment whether I’m going to slit their throats.” 

Momo snorted. “How dull of you. The Raiders expect the unexpected at all times. I’d be disappointing them if I didn’t.” 

Jihyo didn’t even blink. So she was in one of those moods today. “How about you stop inflating your own ego, and tell me why you’re here? Or what you’re here to ask of me?” Jihyo inquired. 

Momo folded her arms over her chest. “If you insist. I’m giving you a proposal.” 

“Which is what?” 

“I know you’re still running arms deals when you can, aside from the drug flow.” Momo never quite saw the fun in the stimulants Jihyo did business with. The greatest highs she’d ever experienced- when she activated Mina, the first settlement that the Raiders successfully invaded, the first time she’d gotten someone to beg her for their life- had all been natural. If one needed to escape to another plane of existence to feel exuberant, then they were making the wrong choices. 

Jihyo nodded slightly. “It’s come to a crawl, however. For reasons that should be obvious.” she replied. 

Momo leaned forward. “What if I told you that I could access the exact ammo you needed?”

Jihyo’s eyes flashed up to hers incredulously. Momo savored that delicious skepticism, because it would make it all the more sweeter when she came through on her end of the deal. No one who doubted Hirai Momo ever got away with it for long. 

“No one has bullets anymore. Don’t be ridiculous.” said Jihyo derisively. 

“No one that _you_ know. You really should expand your territory, you know. It’d be so much more fun than ruling over this tiresome little hovel.” Momo suggested. It felt like such a waste to her, honestly. Park Jihyo was one of the only survivors left who she considered even close to an equal, and she was staying firmly put in this waste of space. 

“Momo.” Jihyo said, and Momo could hear the impatience starting to edge in her tone, which made her smile. Pushing Jihyo’s buttons amused her to no end. “What do you fucking _want?”_

“I want a trade off. My intelligence knows of a spot in the Wasteland- a bit far, but it does exist. It’s run by a former Raider named Kim Dahyun. And she traded in her violent delights for a safer, more boring option: stockpiling. She has all sorts of weaponry that I haven’t seen in ages, if my sources are correct. And you know what else she has? _Bullets._ You wouldn’t have to mess around with machetes anymore, Jihyo. Just take that revolver you’ve got hidden under your bed, and dust off that trigger finger.”

Momo raised her index finger to her temple, and cocked it, never taking her gaze away from Jihyo’s. 

“Bang.” she said softly. 

A muscle was working in Jihyo’s throat, a surefire sign that she was tempted by the offer. Momo waited for her to respond, hiding her smirk of satisfaction. She knew it wouldn’t take much, knew that Jihyo hated using melee weapons and would jump at any opportunity to be free of them. 

“Okay. Let’s say I believe your story. What’s in it for me, and what are you asking for in return?” Jihyo finally said, the tiniest glimmer of interest sparking in her eyes. 

“I don’t trust half of those fools I employ to go and come back without losing the haul. Tzuyu, certainly. Even Jeongyeon. But I need men I can _trust._ So….I ask for some of your crew.” Momo implored. 

Jihyo bit into her lower lip thoughtfully. “My numbers have run lower because of various factors. I’d have to spare more than I’m used to. I’m not sure if I can afford the loss.” 

Momo held back a sigh. She knew Jihyo would go around in circles like this for ages if Momo didn’t cut her off. Thankfully, she also knew how to exploit Jihyo’s one weakness, the biggest chink in her armor. 

“Well, that’s just fine. I don’t think I need all of them anyway. Just the most clever….like Sana.” 

Jihyo’s expression immediately closed off, and she leaned back against her chair. “Absolutely not. Sana is not going _anywhere_ with you.” she snapped. Momo cocked her head. 

“But I thought she was the smartest you had? The most trustworthy, the most _resilient?”_

Jihyo’s jaw was clenched tighter and tighter with each word Momo drawled. “You stay the hell away from Sana. Do you understand me? I don’t give a fuck how important you think your mission is. If you lay one finger on her, so help me God, I will _ruin_ you.” Jihyo breathed. 

Momo was not remotely afraid of her, but she had to admit she was impressed by the black look on her face, the utter sincerity with which she spoke. It was almost as intense as Momo would be if Mina were in her position.

"Then, I presume we have a deal? Your grunts in exchange for a cut of the profits? There’s no reason for me to touch Sana then.” Momo asked calmly. 

Jihyo looked up at the ceiling, a long sigh deflating her shoulders, and pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes momentarily. As one usually does when they know they never truly had a choice either way. Momo liked seeing this kind of reaction. Backing people into a corner was always fun, since hardly any of them came out swinging anymore. 

“Fine. We have a deal. But if they don’t all come back with you, then you can forget about any kind of partnership in the future.” Jihyo warned. Momo smiled, extending a hand to shake on it. 

“That’s a silly thing for me to promise, isn’t it? Accidents happen all the time. If one of them drops their water supply in the desert and can’t find it….that’s not on me.” Momo said. Jihyo rolled her eyes and pulled her hand back. 

Momo made to stand up, but paused as a thought grazed the back of her mind. “One more thing...that mechanic of yours.”

“Nayeon? Yes, she’s quite talented, isn’t she?” said Jihyo distractedly, pushing her own chair back and rising to her feet. Momo’s lip curled back at the thought of her ridiculous buck teeth, and her messy brown hair, and the wide eyed look of astonishment she’d worn their entire conversation. And Mina had instantly _liked_ her? She could see it in her face, see how Mina had watched her from across the room even as she sat on Momo’s lap. 

“Mina’s taken a shine to her.” Momo said quietly. Jihyo glanced up at her, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. 

“Is that a problem?” 

“It makes me question Mina’s preferences, certainly. It might be time for another reconditioning....” Momo trailed off thoughtfully. “Or testing.” 

“Of what, exactly?” 

“Perhaps...perhaps I leave Mina here with her while we go on our expedition.” Momo was thinking out loud at this point, starting to pace back and forth. “And it allows Nayeon to get attached, to see how perfect my doll is. And Mina will entertain it, make her think that something could occur….but she’ll break her when I command it. Tear down all those feeble, half-baked hopes, and crush her. It’ll teach her to stay away from androids, and stay away from things that don’t belong to her.” 

Jihyo was silent, and when Momo looked up at her, she couldn’t read the emotion that fleeted across her expression. “I suppose I can’t stop you.” was all Jihyo answered, and for once, Momo couldn’t think of a response as Jihyo left the room. 

… 

“It’s hot as _balls_ out here.” Jeongyeon complained. 

“When is it not?” Tzuyu asked unsympathetically, turning over a crate and sighing when there was nothing underneath. 

“I agree with Jeongyeon, it’s ridiculous today.” Chaeyoung chimed in. 

"Thank you, Chaeyoung. I think you’ve been upgraded to my new partner.” Jeongyeon told her. Chaeyoung beamed and caught up to her, where she stood under a beam in the abandoned settlement they were going through. Nayeon hadn’t been out scavenging for longer than even Sana. Maybe it was scorching, and maybe she was getting dust all over her clothes and would have to scrub them extensively when they got back, but it was nice not to be cooped up in that garage. 

And even nicer to be around someone like Mina. 

Mina, who was currently examining Sana as she dug in the sand, unearthing a few abandoned blades. She reminded Nayeon of a bird somewhat- her eyes bright and curious and consuming. But her movements were calculated, every adjustment deliberate. 

“Why are you so far away, Nayeon?” Mina asked, looking over at Nayeon with a small smile. Nayeon hesitated, Warlord Hirai’s voice playing on loop in the back of her mind, and she absently rubbed at her throat. 

“I’m just...being respectful.” 

Mina’s head tilted, and she stepped away from Sana, coming towards Nayeon steadily. Nayeon glanced around desperately for an exit, but Mina was too close now. And if truth be told, Nayeon didn’t really want to be away from her. 

“Has Momo said something to you?” Mina questioned softly. Nayeon bit her lower lip, deciding the safest course of action was just not to respond at all. Warlord Hirai couldn’t attack her for that. 

“You do not have to be afraid, Nayeon. I will not let her hurt you any further, not over me.” 

“She _knows.”_ Nayeon stage whispered. “She can hear every damn thing I say to you!” 

Mina’s mouth twitched with amusement, and she touched the side of her neck lightly. “I do have a connection implant to her, it is true. But Momo does not realize that it is two sided. I can deactivate it from within whenever I like.” She paused, looking almost contemplative. “I just never had a reason to before, I suppose.” 

Nayeon was still hesitant, but she relaxed a little. “Is Momo a good companion to you?” 

Mina frowned. “Companion?” she echoed. “That is not what our relationship consists of.” 

“So….what is it of?” Nayeon prompted, forgetting about searching for extra gears, for any gas, instead drawn back into this bubble with this alluring, stunning android. 

“She is my master.” Mina replied, with a swiftness that seemed to have been ingrained in her. It saddened Nayeon to witness. “She is the one who activated me, who programmed me, who allowed me to live….she is all I know.” 

“Hey!” Nayeon jumped at the ringing shout throughout the settlement, and looked over to see Jeongyeon waving at them impatiently. “We’ve scoured enough here. It’s not worth picking any further apart, so we were going to move on. Are you two with us?” 

“Yeah, coming.” Nayeon replied absently, following them out of the abandoned structure and towards their parked bikes. Mina was quiet too, her expression distracted as if thinking things over. 

“I didn’t mean to insert myself into anything. If you’re happy with Warlord Hirai, then it’s none of my business.” Nayeon told Mina as she climbed onto her own bike. Mina glanced at Jeongyeon and Tzuyu, who were arguing about something as Chaeyoung and Sana watched amusedly. 

“It has never occurred to me to question anything that has happened since I began traveling with Momo. She has always told me what I should do, how I should do it….and if I asked too many questions, she cut that off. But recently….I have been _thinking._ I will not tell Momo any more, but perhaps...perhaps you can discuss it with me?” Mina asked softly. 

Nayeon’s first instinct was to let her down gently, as she really did like her head to be attached to her body, and if Warlord Hirai found out she was planting ideas in Mina’s mind….

But at the same time, Mina was so fascinating to her. The way she observed things, the gentle manner with which she spoke, not robotic at all….and she was becoming self-aware? This was exactly the kind of android Nayeon had wanted to find, the kind she and Jennie and Jisoo had talked about finding some day. 

“Let’s get back to the Refuge, and we’ll see what I can do.” Nayeon replied. 

….

Jihyo stared down at the syringe in her hands, the substance inside looking equally repulsive and tempting as she fidgeted with it. She’d promised Sana over and over that she wouldn’t indulge in this kind anymore, and she knew the effects weren’t worth how powerful the drug was, how it could stop her heart if she wasn’t careful. 

But the arrival of Momo and the Raiders had shaken her more deeply than she could ever let on. She would never allow her anxiety to show, both as a shield against Momo and to protect her crew, but Momo was becoming more and more unstable as time went on. It was clear in the way her mood shifted so quickly, in how possessive she was of Mina, and how utterly disinterested she was in her own crew’s well being. 

As if Jihyo wasn’t stressed enough. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with, with these fucking addicts swarming all over the Refuge day in and day out in exchange for intel and the occasional weapon. She let out a heavy, shaky breath, glancing up at the moonlight striped across her floor from the window above her bed, and swallowed as she looked back at the syringe. 

Just one taste couldn’t hurt. Just one little drop, to take the edge off. 

“Jihyo?” 

Fuck. 

Jihyo felt warm fingers curl over hers, slipping the syringe out of her hand, and heard a soft clink as it was set down somewhere. Then, arms wound around her waist, and that familiar, calming scent drifted around her as Sana’s chin nestled into her shoulder. 

"I thought you weren’t going to do that anymore.” Sana whispered. 

Hot, heavy guilt washed over Jihyo, and she rubbed Sana’s arm reassuringly. “I….I didn’t. I didn’t use it. I promise.” 

Sana was silent, her quiet breathing soothing Jihyo even as her thoughts still flickered and broke and twisted into snarls around Momo’s name. “But you thought about it?” 

Jihyo turned around to face Sana, her heart pulsing unevenly at the way Sana’s eyes softened sadly. “I….yes.” She could never lie to Sana, even if it hurt to see how the words affected her. 

“But I didn’t. I won’t. Really.” 

Sana looked down, playing with Jihyo’s fingers and avoiding her gaze. “You know it scares me when you think about it. Maybe you don’t remember how bad you used to be, but I do. It was so bad….” When she looked up, Jihyo was ashamed to see how her eyes shone with the threat of tears, a wavering lens that pierced Jihyo’s heart. 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I do remember, I really do. I just had a bad moment tonight, and I wasn’t thinking, but it won’t happen again.” Jihyo told her, putting every ounce of sincerity that she could muster into her words and hoping that Sana would believe her. She couldn’t be absolutely _sure_ about it, because Momo’s presence here was affecting her more than she anticipated, but Sana needed this reassurance. 

Sana swallowed. “You promise?” she asked softly. 

Jihyo leaned forward and kissed her, trying to drown her worries into this familiar warmth and scent. That threat against Sana’s life had rattled her more than she’d been rattled in years, but she’d meant it when she’d told Momo that she would raise hell if Momo even entertained the thought. 

“I promise. I love you.” Jihyo whispered. Sana beamed, her eyes lighting up, and she pressed a soft kiss under Jihyo’s ear, the way she knew Jihyo liked. 

“I love you too. Now, I think we should go to bed. You look really tired, love.” 

Jihyo hummed in agreement, sinking down onto the hard excuse for a pillow they had, and closed her eyes as Sana wrapped an arm over her, kissing the back of her neck gently before snuggling in. Tomorrow she would have to deal with all these incoming problems, maybe even warn Nayeon of Momo’s plans for her, choose which of her crew would go with Momo on what was most likely a suicide mission. 

But for tonight, all she was going to be was Sana’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is centrally a Minayeon fic, but oh my Lord, Sahyo is killing me here. Protective girlfriend Jihyo? Jihyo being little spoon? Yes, yes, and yes


	4. Chapter 4

“They call this a guest room?”

Momo looked around distastefully at the setup Jihyo had provided for her and Mina- the tiny, one off room with stone walls and not much decoration, besides the bed and a desk and chair next to the door. She supposed for the Refuge, this was considered the 5 star treatment, but she still wrinkled her nose at the heavy, damp stench. 

Mina was examining the walls, tracing her fingers along the stone and looking more fascinated than she really had any right to be when Momo was _right there._ But for now, Momo was content to watch her flitter about, propped up on the bed with her hands behind her head, taking in every little movement Mina displayed. One of her proudest achievements since the end of the War was training Mina to move exactly how she wanted her to: sometimes controlled and deliberate, sometimes suggestive and a little amorous. Her pulse picked up a little at the unintentional sway to Mina’s hips, and she sat up. 

“Sweet thing, I’ve got something to tell you.” 

Mina turned away from the wall, a slight frown pulling at her lips. “What is it?” 

Momo patted the mattress in front of her. “Come hither.” 

Mina obeyed, and Momo really couldn’t help running her hands over Mina’s legs, feeling the warmth and artificial muscle beneath, and closed her eyes momentarily as Mina shifted automatically towards her. _Just like I taught her._

“I had a business meeting with Jihyo while you were gone, and we came to an agreement about something.” 

Mina smiled. “That is good news. I feared that we might return to the two of you at each other’s throats, in the literal sense.” 

“Not this time, doll.” Momo chuckled. “Some of her crew will be coming with me to find Kim Dahyun’s Sanctuary. So many weapons I thought were lost to time, and ammo. Everything I’ve been looking for since the beginning of this apocalypse.” 

Mina studied her, tilting her head in that unearthly manner she did sometimes that was a consistent reminder to Momo. She wasn’t human, much as she felt like it, but that was exactly why Momo favored her so. Regular humans were weak, gullible, and so easy to manipulate. Momo held back a tiny snort of contempt at the thought of Jihyo’s precious Sana. Wide-eyed, mirthful even in the midst of the Wasteland, and so _eager._ Momo bet that breaking her spirit, snapping those pretty little emotions of hers into pieces would be so, so fun. She regretted having to file that for later, as it wasn’t in her best interest to piss Jihyo off right now. 

“When are we departing?” Mina asked, expression intrigued, but there was something false about it. Momo knew Mina’s inner workings more than her own, knew every reaction she had and every response, and the new, almost deceptive look on her face reminded her of something she’d seen before. She couldn’t quite pin where, but she didn’t like it. 

“Well, that’s the thing, doll...” said Momo, reaching for one of Mina’s hands and turning it over to trace the lines in her palm. “I think it would be best for you to stay here, with Jihyo’s crew. Being around some new blood and gaining some new experiences would be nothing but beneficial. And you can tell me all about it when I get back.” 

She looked up at Mina, expecting a blissful smile and fervid nod, but Mina’s expression was....polite. Controlled. Refined. 

“Of course. If that is what you want me to do.” Mina replied. Momo frowned. This wasn’t like Mina. She was always enthusiastic at whatever Momo decided for them, always showing her eagerness, always more dedicated than the rest of her foolhardy, ridiculous crew put together. Well, except for Tzuyu. 

“You’re not upset at having to be without me?” Momo asked quietly, letting Mina’s hand go and examining her face thoroughly. Mina shook her head impatiently. 

“Do not be silly, Momo. I always miss you when you are not around. But I do look forward to this new community, and what it can offer me.” 

Momo’s eyes narrowed. Something was definitely off here, and she couldn’t quite pinpoint what, but she was going to get to the bottom of it before they left. 

Casually, she took Mina’s hand again, not meeting her eyes as she ran her finger over Mina’s. “So you’ll be fine here with Jihyo...” 

“She seems very capable.” Mina answered. 

“And Sana?” Momo questioned, glancing up. Mina shrugged. 

“I do not know her very well yet, but I rather like her. She is very....upbeat.” 

_Dimwitted is more appropriate,_ Momo thought scornfully. “Chaeyoung?” she continued. 

“I feel the same.” 

“Nayeon?” 

Silence. 

Momo looked up at Mina to see her eyes flash, just for the briefest moment, with a color Momo had never seen before. A brilliant, vivid cherry red. Momo dropped her hand, stunned. 

“I....I appreciate her.” Mina stumbled over the words. _Stuttered._ Mina didn’t make mistakes, in her speech or in her actions. Momo had taught her specifically to be perfect in all areas. And she was _stammering?_

Something dark and heavy and raw pulsed inside Momo’s chest, and her jaw clenched. “You appreciate her.” she repeated, words crisp. 

“Yes.” Mina said, not meeting Momo’s gaze. 

Momo wasn’t fucking having this. 

She gripped Mina’s chin in her hand, nails digging enough into her cheek to make her flinch, and spoke distinctly. “How do you feel about her, exactly?” 

Mina hesitated, and even before she opened her mouth, Momo knew she was holding something back. Keeping her true feelings from Momo, of all people. Momo owned her completely, physically, emotionally, and the thought of Mina withdrawing anything from her was unacceptable. 

“All right, have it your way. Activate Sequence: Disclosure.” Momo snarled. Mina’s eyes flashed ice blue, and the words began to tumble forth at once. 

“I like her. She is warm and listens to me, and treats me like I matter. None of the Raiders have done this for me, and I want to be around her, even though we have not known each other long.” 

Momo let go of Mina’s face, barely regarding the stricken look in Mina’s expression as she rubbed at her cheek, and dug her fists into the mattress so she wouldn’t punch Mina off of the bed. That stupid fucking _mechanic._ What did she possibly have that could interest Mina? What did she have that Momo couldn’t provide? Nothing. There was fucking _nothing._

And Momo was going to teach both of them that. 

“You listen to me.” she told Mina, grabbing her wrist and tugging Mina closer so their faces were barely inches apart. “Nayeon is nothing. _Nothing._ She’s a blip in Jihyo’s useless little crew, and if it weren’t for her tinkering, she would be absolutely worthless. The Raiders’ opinion doesn’t matter. _Mine_ matters.” 

Mina nodded frantically, alarm alighting her gaze, and Momo released her wrist, feeling slightly satisfied. “But perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her about your system. It might be a good opportunity for you. So....spend time with who you wish, sweet thing, but don’t forget who you belong to.” 

She patted Mina’s cheek. 

“I will.” 

“Who _do_ you belong to?” Momo asked, leaning back with pleasure. Mina wouldn’t forget her place. How could she? 

Mina met her eyes, and there was the slightest sense of dubiousness there. Nah. Momo was just imagining things. Why would Mina ever doubt her? 

“You.” she murmured. 

She seemed so off. Momo frowned. 

“Are you feeling all right, doll?” 

Mina looked up at her again, a small smile curving her mouth. “Yes. I am fine, Momo.” 

Momo had never gotten the sense that Mina was lying to her before, wasn’t even aware she had the ability to. 

But there’s apparently a first time for everything. 

… 

_Her head was slammed into the dirt, the Raider’s steel-toed boot pressed into her skull and making her head swim. But she could still hear the world crashing and burning around her, the Haven invaded-_

_“Nayeon! NAYEON!”_

_Nayeon_ _struggled to free herself as Jennie’s scream pierced through the air, but the Raider was having none of that. With a snort, they reached down, the edge of their machete resting against her throat. “You’re not going anywhere, girl. Stay down if you know what’s good for you.”_

_“Jennie!” she tried to shout back, but her words were lost to the roar of the battle, the cries of the families and the horrible rattling gasps of the dying._

_“Ooh, we have a fighter here.” chuckled another Raider somewhere to the left of where she was imprisoned, and a familiar swearing._ _Nayeon’s_ _stomach clenched hard. No, they couldn’t have her. They couldn’t-_

_“Let_ _Nayeon_ _go, you fucking bastards!” Jisoo shouted. The Raider snorted with disgust, and_ _Nayeon f_ _linched as she heard a hard smack and the drop of a body to the ground._

_“This one’s too feisty. We’ll never get any use out of her. That one....” the Raider trailed off. “I think we could train her.”_

_“You stay away from Jennie!” Jisoo again, her voice muffled and then letting out a yelp of pain._

_“God, she never shuts the fuck up. Kill her already, will you?” complained the Raider pinning_ _Nayeon_ _down. Panic flashed through her mind and she desperately tried to free herself again._

_“Stay- down-” the Raider snapped, digging his boot further into her skull, and her vision began to blacken, but she could hear Jennie scream again and the other Raider’s laugh, terrible and billowing and-_

“Nayeon. _Hey.”_

Nayeon bolted up from the worktable, cold sweat clinging to her skin, sticking her shirt to her back, and she swung out wildly with her screwdriver. A hand grabbed her wrist and planted it against the table, and she looked around hastily. 

Jihyo stood before her, looking cautious. She let go of Nayeon’s wrist and stepped back. “It’s just me.” 

Nayeon rubbed at her face, shame and guilt and a gradual sadness creeping over her. “I- uh, sorry I almost stabbed you.” she mumbled, dropping her face into her hands and tugging at her hair. 

“It’s okay. My reflexes are better than that.” said Jihyo. Nayeon looked at her through her fingers to see a trace of sympathy in her face. 

“Same nightmare?” Jihyo asked carefully, tracing a finger over the worktable. She was the only one aside from Chaeyoung who knew anything about Nayeon’s past, and who Jennie and Jisoo were to her. Nayeon didn’t talk about it, ever, but after she’d had enough nights of screaming in her sleep and disturbing the other members of the crew, Jihyo quietly had a bed installed in the garage, and asked Nayeon if she needed to talk about them. 

Nayeon had told her who they were, but she refused to relive the invasion of the Haven for anyone. 

“Yeah. But it was on me this time, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.” Nayeon muttered, glancing at the afternoon light pouring in through the window. It wasn’t even late, but she had been up all night working on Jeongyeon’s bike, and trying to distract herself from thinking about Mina, and she’d just sat down here to have a brief moment of rest... 

“Sorry about that, really. I’ll get back on it.” 

Jihyo crossed her arms over her chest. “What, and fall asleep halfway through work to impale yourself on a tool? Take a break, for God’s sake, Nayeon.” 

Nayeon slumped back onto the stool, not even having the energy to argue. Besides, Jihyo never visited her in here unless she had something important to say. She leaned her head on her hand and waited. 3....2...1... 

“I have something to talk to you about, anyway.” Jihyo muttered, leaning forward onto the table and lacing her fingers together. Nayeon wasn’t sure what her meeting with Momo had been about, but the tension in her shoulders was even more prominent than usual, and a stressed Jihyo was the most dangerous Jihyo. 

“What is it?” 

Jihyo hesitated, looking over at the garage window and drumming her fingers on the table before speaking. “You probably assume that I haven’t been keeping track, but I keep records of everything going on in the Refuge. And I feel it’s time to inform you that your debt is almost paid in full.” 

Nayeon blinked, the lingering elements of her dream dissipating at those words. She was almost done here? She was almost _free?_

“I....wow.” she stammered. “That’s...really good to know.” 

Jihyo snorted a little, straightening up and folding her arms over her chest again. “I was just curious as to know what your plans will be once it is paid.” 

Nayeon looked over at the tally marks above her bed. The symbols she’d relied on to keep her going on the nights when even the whiskey wasn’t enough to remind her why she was still doing this. Maybe she wasn’t doing this out of free will, but she did love working with her hands, loved when she could bring a broken machine back to life, and had only grown fonder of it during her time here. 

But what would she do when she was free? She’d been thinking about it for so long that it didn’t seem real at this point. And when she was gone, she would be alone again. No one and nothing to distract her from her own thoughts anymore.... 

Jihyo was waiting for her answer, one eyebrow arched. Nayeon cleared her throat. 

“I was planning on looking for the remaining androids, actually.” 

Jihyo’s expression twisted in confusion. “Is it really worth it? They’re all so scattered that it might take you years to even find one, let alone one that would work still.” she asked. 

Nayeon wiggled her fingers. “You forgot I have the magic touch. Besides, that’s all I’ve wanted since the end of the War.” 

Jihyo still looked doubtful, and she was about to respond when there was a rapping on the edge of the doorway. Nayeon knew it was Sana before she even stuck her head around, because no one else ever bothered to knock. 

“Sorry to interrupt.” she said ruefully, expression mournful as if she was truly regretful of it. Jihyo’s eyes softened at once as she looked over. 

“You’re not interrupting, sweetheart. What’s up?” 

Nayeon rolled her eyes at how quickly Jihyo’s tone changed. She liked to act like she was cold and indifferent, but the moment Sana was around, she shifted into completely whipped mode. Some leader. 

“Well, Momo is about to leave and she wanted to see you before, and the crew did as well. I’m going out with Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung again, but there’s also-” 

“You’ll be careful?” Jihyo cut across her, deep worry pooling in her eyes. 

“Of _course_ I’ll be careful. Look.” Sana lifted up her shirt to reveal one of the machetes they’d scavenged, slipped into a makeshift sheath. “I’m prepared. But anyway, Mina’s here to see Nayeon.” 

Nayeon looked up as Mina peered around Sana, meeting her eyes with a tiny smile. Jihyo glanced between the two of them, and Nayeon tried very hard not to show how pleased she was with this. 

“Uh, all right. I’ll leave you both to your conversation, or whatever.” Jihyo said distractedly, mind clearly not on Nayeon anymore, and she crossed the room to Sana’s side, slipping her fingers into Sana’s. “I’ll talk to you later, Nayeon. I’ve got to get this straightened out.” 

Nayeon frowned, concerned at the shadow that seemed to fleet over Jihyo’s expression, but it disappeared as Sana kissed Jihyo’s cheek and pulled her out of the room, chatting excitedly about the areas she was going to scavenge with Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung. 

Mina quietly stepped inside, her hands laced behind her back and her expression curiously blank. Nayeon didn’t say anything as Mina approached, resting a hand on the table and rubbing her fingers across the surface, as if fascinated with its feel. 

“Does Warlord Hirai know you’re in here?” Nayeon finally asked, tearing her gaze away from the small crease in Mina’s forehead as she examined the dust motes floating in the rays of sunlight. It looked so normal, like something Chaeyoung would do if Nayeon went on too long about how she fixed her bike this time. So....cute. 

“She is the one who ordered me to stay behind.” Mina replied, not looking away from the dust motes. Nayeon’s brow furrowed. Warlord Hirai had purposely told Mina to stay here, with Jihyo’s crew, who she clearly didn’t trust? 

“Uh, why?” 

Mina bit down on her lower lip, reaching up to trace her finger through the dust and smiling a little when it broke apart. “She told me to gather new experiences, and be around new people. She said it would be good for me.” 

“And she wanted you to be with me?” Nayeon asked, finding that hard to believe. She still expected to go around a corner and be choked out by Warlord Hirai again, or have her fingers sliced off. 

Mina finally looked at her. Where other people had merely one, or maybe two, emotions, Mina’s eyes seemed to contain worlds’ worth of feeling. It made Nayeon want to step back. 

“She thought that perhaps you would be able to teach me about my mechanisms. And I would be interested to know more about those characteristics, but there are other things I would like to know as well.” Mina said, resting a hand back on the table. 

Nayeon rubbed the back of her neck a little self consciously. She wasn’t stupid, but she would be the first to admit that anything beyond this garage wasn’t going to be her strong suit. “Uh, like what?” 

Mina seemed lost in thought, staring down at the table. 

“Mina?” Nayeon prompted after several moments of silence. 

“When Sana looks at Jihyo, what does that indicate?” Mina asked. 

Nayeon frowned. “Uh, that she wants her attention?” 

“No, in the way she watches her. Her entire demeanor changes as Jihyo enters a room. Her eyes brighten, and her position shifts to Jihyo’s direction. And when Jihyo touches her in any manner, Sana is calmer. I can sense that. And Jihyo is the same. She is always watching Sana, and her expression is softer. I have never seen that before. What does it indicate?” 

Looking at Mina made Nayeon’s heart ache. The genuine curiosity in those lovely, dark eyes, and the purity in her questioning and her expression even as she suffered abuse at Warlord Hirai’s hands. It was abundantly clear now exactly what the Warlord thought of her. 

“Love.” Nayeon replied quietly. “They love each other.” 

Mina’s bottom lip jutted out in that thoughtful pout of hers. “Love?” she echoed. 

“Yeah, love. Surely you know what the term means?” Nayeon asked. 

“I...I am not sure.” 

Nayeon’s eyebrows pulled together. She knew Warlord Hirai was bad, but she didn’t know it was this terrible. “Warlord Hirai’s never told you she loved you?” she asked disbelievingly. 

Mina looked considering. “She has told me she desired me, that I have made her feel good, that she thinks I am pretty...” 

“But nothing actually substantial.” Nayeon cut her off in disgust. What trash. Didn’t Warlord Hirai know a good thing when she saw it? How could anyone be around Mina and not feel protective, not feel in awe? Nayeon had barely been around her for a week and she was already captivated. 

“I suppose not.” Mina frowned, and shook her head as if to clear it. “I was curious as to what that feeling was, and how I could perhaps obtain it. It looks as if it feels nice.” 

Nayeon laughed a little and patted Mina’s hand. “Love isn’t something you can pick up and put down whenever you want, darling. It’s something you have to earn, like respect.” 

Mina stared down at Nayeon’s hand, eyes wide. “What is that term you just used?” 

“Darling?” 

Mina nodded, that same odd flicker of purple she’d seen once before fleeting in her eyes. “I rather like how it sounds.” 

Nayeon grinned. Mina was too cute. “Well, then I’ll keep using it. Just don’t tell your master, darling.” She winked. 

Mina blinked, and smiled back, warming Nayeon’s heart. “I would like to know about the things that humans enjoy most. The things that they have created for themselves out of pleasure, like art, or music. I have heard Jeongyeon and Tzuyu speak of them sometimes, but no one has ever told me any further information. And I would....I would just like to know.” she finished quietly. 

In all her time around machines and androids, Nayeon had never heard such an inquisitive one, nor one that cared about the arts. Not one that cared about anything beyond what their programmers had designed them to care for. She wondered if Warlord Hirai was aware of this, and purposely stunting her curiosity with reconditioning. Rage swelled within her. 

“Yeah, I’ll teach you about that shit. Life was a hell of a lot better when we had active artists producing, I can tell you that much.” Nayeon replied. “I’ve probably forgotten half the songs I used to love, but I remember enough to help you out.” 

Mina beamed. There was really no other way to describe it, and it reminded Nayeon so much of Sana that it took her off guard. She hadn’t realized androids could look so elated. It truly suited her. 

“Thank you very much, Nayeon. Can I ask one more thing? If I am disturbing you, I am sorry.” 

Nayeon waved a hand dismissively. “I never get stimulating conversation around here. Chaeyoung and Sana are fun to drink with, but they aren’t interested in any of this stuff, so ask away.” 

“It is not about that, no. It is...” Mina paused, looking doubtful. Nayeon leaned forward, curiosity sparking now. 

“What’s up?” 

“Who are....Jennie and Jisoo?” 

Nayeon froze. 

How did Mina know? Did Jihyo open her fucking mouth? _Why_ would she? Well, how else could Mina know? Fuck the rest of her debt, she was going to have fucking _words_ with her boss when she got out of this room- 

“I was in the halls last night, wandering about, and I heard.....I heard you crying. Chaeyoung informed me that you were having nightmares, and I wanted to comfort you, but she told me that I could not. I heard the names Jennie and Jisoo.” Mina trailed off, shrinking back as if expecting Nayeon to strike her. 

Nayeon forced her hands to uncurl from the fists they’d formed into, stretching out each finger and turning her hands up in a silent peaceful gesture. Warlord Hirai had probably taught Mina that too many questions were discouraged, and Mina learned with physical violence what happened if she continued. Fucking Warlord... 

“They were friends of mine.” Nayeon replied, almost inaudibly. Jennie and Jisoo crossed her mind every day, but she actively worked to not think about them. Remembering hurt, and if she didn’t get a handle on it, she’d be incapacitated for the rest of the day, curled up in a ball and sobbing. She had no intention of ever letting that happening here. There was a reason she never said anything to Jihyo. 

But for some reason, with Mina, the ache didn’t begin to pulse. 

“Friends.” Mina repeated softly. 

“Good friends, from where I used to live.” Nayeon added, but her tone was quite indicative that the subject was closed. Mina paused again, and then hesitantly reached out for Nayeon’s hand. Nayeon swallowed as their fingers linked together, the warmth of Mina’s palm seeping into her clammy one. 

“I am sorry for the loss of your friends. I have not lost a friend, because I have never truly had one, but I understand it is a painful process. Perhaps I could be your friend?” Mina asked. Her thumb rubbed lightly over Nayeon’s hand, and something glimmered in Nayeon’s chest, something light and buoyant and lovely that she hadn’t felt in ages. 

This was not a great idea. So many things could go wrong here. And getting attached to an android who belonged to Warlord Hirai was probably the stupidest choice Nayeon could possibly make. 

She looked at their hands, and up at Mina’s hopeful expression, her soft, round eyes. 

“Sure. I could always use one more friend. Now, it’s time for the beginning of your education. Sit down with Professor Nayeon for a crash course in music history.” Nayeon offered Mina her stool, which she took eagerly, and rubbed at her forehead as she went to grab another. 

There were worse things she could do. And for Mina....she felt like taking the gamble. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For most of the Nayeon and Mina section, I was listening to Ice Cream, and I forgot how much I liked Nayeon's falsetto on that song. No pressure Nayeon, but maybe marry me sometime?
> 
> Momo is such an asshole in this and I am having too much fun with her character, and writing this in general


	5. Chapter 5

Momo had a good feeling about this. 

Jihyo had managed to talk at least five of her crew to accompany Momo in her journey to the Sanctuary, and along with Jeongyeon and Tzuyu, and the most competent member of her own Raiders, she had enough force here to make it across the Wasteland with no issue. She leaned against the chipped, peeling wall just outside of the main room of the Refuge, watching Jihyo go through her supply kits with Tzuyu, pulling out extra weapons and basic medical supplies. Momo had never considered gathering all that shit herself- she tended to just wing it, and if someone collapsed from heat exhaustion or blood loss, they weren’t endurant enough to keep up with her anyway. 

“Um, excuse me, Warlord?” 

Momo glanced to the side to see Sana standing there, hands clasped in front of her and a nervous look in her eyes. She suppressed a sigh. The last thing she felt like doing was talking to this twit. She’d already dealt with enough aggravation that morning from Mina, and it was Mina’s own fault that she wasn’t going to see Momo before she left. Maybe it would teach her something about respect for once. 

“What do you want?” Momo asked testily. Sana’s ever present optimism was wearing on her nerves. She truly didn’t understand how Jihyo put up with it all the time. 

“I would just, um, like to speak to you for a moment. If you don’t mind.” Sana replied. Her eyes were still apprehensive, but her posture and voice were firm, her hands steady. 

Momo examined her for a moment more closely. Beneath that bubbly facade was something a little darker, a little too observant. Observant people were a problem, as they always saw more than they needed to. A thought began to hum in the back of Momo’s mind. There _was_ a solution to keeping this one in line….but she would hold off in seeing if she needed to go that far. 

Momo shrugged away from the wall with an exaggerated groan, rolling her neck and flashing a glance in Jihyo’s direction. She was still occupied with talking to the Raiders, their eagerness in handling her stupid weapons and bottles of alcohol. Even Tzuyu was getting into it, wide smiles flashing every now and then. Ridiculous. They never smiled like that for _her._

“All right. Let’s get away from this racket.” Momo suggested, and followed Sana down the hall, reaching up the back of her jacket to make sure that it was still secured. Her fingers brushed against the cool plastic, and the corners of her mouth turned up. 

Sana gestured for Momo to follow her into an empty room, which Momo could see that the addicts seemed to use for naps after they shot up, and she wrinkled her nose at the thick stench of sweat and despair curling up from the mattress on the floor. 

“So, you’ve got my attention.” Momo said, folding her arms over her chest. “Make it fast.” 

Sana took a deep breath. “I have to say this or it’ll just keep eating up me inside. I….I don’t think you should come back after you get the weapons from the Sanctuary.” 

Momo raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t what she had expected. “And why is that?” 

Sana fiddled with the edge of her shirt, and then looked Momo squarely in the eyes. It was almost unnerving. Momo wasn’t used to anyone looking at her directly, except for Mina and Tzuyu, and the force in Sana’s gaze took her off guard. There was something much more perceptive than Momo had realized lurking within this girl. 

“Because I’ve seen and heard the way you talk to Jihyo. She gets so upset after you’ve been around her, and maybe this is good for _you,_ but it’s not good for _her.”_

Momo sighed. _This is why the intelligent people make the decisions, Sana._ “Not that it really has anything to do with you, but Jihyo was just as interested in this deal as I was. She prefers arms to melee weapons, just like I do, and I don’t think you understand how much easier it will be to defend your little hovel after I return.” 

Sana continued looking defensive. “Jihyo was getting better before you arrived. She had her bad days, but she was trying, for me and for herself, and I was really proud of her. And then you show up with your ornery crew and your slick words, and she’s all messed up again. She _promised_ me that she would stay away from those drugs, and now because of you, I can see the temptation on her face every day. And I just can’t….I can’t have her keep suffering. Not if I can do something about it.” 

Momo stared at her. 

Sana was _threatening_ her? 

People didn’t challenge her. No one questioned Hirai Momo’s methods. And wherever she went, she was in charge. Everyone bowed before her, because they knew what would happen if she didn’t. And here was this smart ass, defiant girl, trying to dictate where Momo could go, who she could do business with. In the midst of the Wasteland- the land she would someday control completely. 

Anger began to thrum under Momo’s skin, forming into a fiery weight in her stomach. 

“And what are you going to do about it if I say no?” Momo asked quietly, stepping forward. Sana’s eyes flickered down, and she swallowed, but she didn’t back away, much to Momo’s irritation. 

“I can’t let you hurt her. You can keep all the weapons, even the crew members if you like, but you can’t be around Jihyo.” Sana said distinctly. As if her opinion _mattered._ As if Momo gave a single fuck what she said, or thought. It almost made her want to laugh. 

“Again, what are you going to do about it if I say no?” Momo repeated, stepping forward again until they were inches apart. Sana wasn’t even trembling, to her disgust. What a fucking front. All this bravery and protectiveness over Park Jihyo? Momo considered just letting it go, but she never missed an opportunity to teach her inferiors a lesson. 

“I’ll tell Jihyo about the way you abuse Mina, and she’ll ban you from ever coming back here. She doesn’t tolerate people who abuse androids, who treat them the way you do.” Sana answered, that same steady determination clinging to her words. 

It was the wrong fucking thing to say. 

Momo had to close her eyes and bite the inside of her lip, _hard_ , to prevent herself from drawing her blade and running it through this….this insolent little wench. Abuse Mina? Her angel? Her _gem?_ Momo would never take advantage of Mina. The very suggestion….it would be so easy to snap Sana’s neck, here and now. But that would create such a mess. 

With a massive effort, Momo opened her eyes and uncurled her fingers. Sana was staring back at her, leaning away slightly, but still with that fucking defensiveness in her expression, her position tensed as if she was going to attack. Attack _Momo._

“What a silly thought.” Momo replied, a purr in her tone that Sana’s eyes narrowed at. “Abuse Mina? She is mine. I could never hurt her.”

“I’ve heard things about you from her, and from Jeongyeon.” Sana whispered. Momo scowled, making a note to deprive Jeongyeon of water privileges again. She should really learn to keep her goddamn mouth shut. But for now…

“No, no, you don’t understand.” Momo went on, stepping forward again and resting a gentle hand on Sana’s arm. With the other, her fingers snaked up the back of her jacket, curling around the plastic and pulling it out with one swift motion. “I do my best for Mina. I trained her, you see. From the moment she was activated, I was there for her. I kept her safe, and taught her all she needed to know about the Wasteland. Everything I do is for her. Just like you and Jihyo, no?” 

Sana hesitated, glancing down at Momo’s hand but not pulling away. Perfect. “Jihyo and I have a relationship, not an ownership. She listens to me, and cares about what I think. But you want to possess Mina, like she’s a slave.” 

Momo resisted the urge to flay the impertinence right off of Jihyo’s intolerable whore. She would take care of this right here, right now. 

“Of course not.” Momo said softly. “Mina is the only one who even comes close to understanding me. None of the Raiders could get to that point. I’ll have her forever, and she wants that, because she knows who’s best for her. And I know what’s best for you.”

Sana flashed a puzzled look at her, starting to turn away, but it was too late. 

Momo’s hand flashed up, the other pulling Sana tight against her as the syringe sank into her vein. Sana yelped, trying to break free, but Momo gripped her forcefully. “This is a special serum of mine. I worked on it for _ages,_ waiting for the perfect opportunity to test it out. Oh, I wanted to use it on one of the Raiders when they were acting out, but I knew it would be a waste. But then you come along….my perfect little lab rat. And it seems to be working _beautifully.”_ Momo breathed delightedly. 

Sana’s eyes were already clouding over, her face slackening into that dreamy expression Momo had been waiting for as she slumped against Momo. Momo chuckled, withdrawing the needle. 

“You won’t remember any of this, but you’ll be in Wonderland for a little while. Days, perhaps. I strive to make all my serums as potent as possible. I’m nothing if not consistent.” Momo whispered into Sana’s ear. Not that she could hear her. Sana wouldn’t be telling anyone anything for a good long while. And the best part? Jihyo ran a drug den. She had no one but herself to blame for Sana’s relapse. What a shame, she seemed so clean for so long. 

Momo caught Sana’s body as she sank against her, soft groans escaping her lips, and lowered her onto the mattress. She tilted her head consideringly as Sana rolled onto her back, and slipped the syringe back under her jacket, laughing as she closed the door behind herself. 

“Enjoy the rush, Sana.” 

  
  


… 

“So you….you call these eighth notes?” Mina asked, staring down at the sketches Nayeon had drawn out of her. Nayeon nodded, tapping the edge of the images. 

“They add up to 4 beats per measure. And there are different time measures. The most common is 4/4, but there’s also 2/4, 6/8, and others.” 

Mina considered the notes for so long that Nayeon wondered if she was even listening. “And there are how many types of notes?” 

“Whole note, quarter note, sixteenth note, half note, eighteenth note, and thirty second note. Those are the most common. It can keep going, but it gets complicated from there.” Nayeon told her, ticking off the notes on her fingers as she spoke. It had been a while since she’d talked about any of this stuff, and she had to admit, it was fun. 

Mina hung on every word of hers like it was gospel, and Nayeon couldn’t act like that didn’t give her pleasure. Especially since she’d chosen to come here instead of see Warlord Hirai off, although Nayeon was still a little nervous that she was going to take revenge on Nayeon for that somehow. 

Mina tapped the table, slow at first, but gradually beginning to beat out a rhythm with her fingertips, and Nayeon smiled as she watched. That cute little furrow in her forehead as she concentrated was starting to be endearing. 

“This would be more fun if we had a drum or something, but you’re getting it down.” Nayeon said fondly, reaching over to push a lock of Mina’s hair back. Mina sat back, looking entirely too pleased with herself. 

“I think I am a natural.” Mina announced, and Nayeon had to laugh. It was hard to believe she was the same carefully controlled android that had arrived here. She was just so warm and curious and….and yes, natural.

“You’ve got a ways to go before you’re a real musician, darling, but you’re pretty quick to pick up on things.” Nayeon replied, pushing herself up to sit on the edge of the worktable and swinging her legs. The airiness flowing through her body was both alien and welcome, as she hadn’t felt this lighthearted in so long. 

Mina hummed in acknowledgment, and then looked up hesitantly at Nayeon. “May I…..may I request something?” she asked softly. 

“I think you may. What’s up?” 

Mina glanced back down at the table, tracing her finger over one of the eighth notes. “I would like to hear….I have never heard music. I would like to know how it sounds.” 

Nayeon’s brow furrowed. “Well, I don’t have a radio or anything…”

Mina swallowed, an oddly nervous reaction, and met her eyes. “You mentioned to me before that you had certain songs you preferred. Do you remember any of them?” 

Understanding struck Nayeon at once, and her first instinct was to refuse. Singing was something private, something she’d kept to herself for years because it was raw and personal. It was one of the few things left that she felt like she could have a claim on, have control over. Her voice belonged to her, and no one could steal it or demand it away. 

But Mina was asking. Nayeon paused, watching the way Mina’s eyes widened with subtle hopefulness, how her fingers clenched and unclenched unconsciously, and….well. How could Nayeon let her down? 

She sighed, glancing at the setting sunlight pooled over the floor, and ran through her memory of music she had liked before the War. A lot of it was off limits, since she’d listened to it with Jennie and there was no way she was reopening that wound tonight, but there was a particular song she’d always enjoyed in her downtime, played in the background while she practiced her mechanics…

“Don’t stare at me. It’ll make me self conscious.” Nayeon instructed, and Mina nodded obediently, shifting to turn the other direction and becoming still as stone. Nayeon held back a small laugh and closed her eyes, allowing herself to recall the memory, the lyrics, the rhythm. 

Without really thinking about it, she began to beat on the table, tapping her fist against the wood to the pulse of the song she was playing in her head. A smooth guitar riff sparked in her thoughts, and the words began to flow naturally. 

_“When sky blue gets dark enough, to see the colors of the city lights, a trail of ruby red and diamond white hits her like a sunrise…”_

Images began to flicker through Nayeon’s mind: her room back in the Haven, speakers blaring as she danced along to the sounds, carelessly twirling her pliers. Jisoo popping in to complain about the noise, the laughter of Jennie behind her. 

_“She comes and goes, and comes and goes, like no one can….”_

It didn’t hurt, for once. She could picture their faces as she drummed out the rhythm, her foot tapping as Nayeon kept her eyes closed, a small smile breaking free as she continued. 

_“Tonight she’s out to lose herself, and find a high on Peachtree street, from mixed drinks to techno beats it’s always heavy into everything…”_

What was this feeling spilling forth? Enjoyment, yes, but something more than that. Something a little bittersweet, but Nayeon didn’t feel like she was going to slip into misery this time. Maybe she hadn’t realized how much she missed music, how much she enjoyed it for herself. 

“ _She comes and goes, and comes and goes, like no one can, she comes and goes and no one knows, she’s slipping through my hands…”_

The visions of Jennie and Jisoo faded from her inner vision, and slowly but surely, Mina’s face replaced them. Nayeon slowed in her rhythm, a sudden alarm piercing her chest. This was becoming too much for her. Too much emotion swirling around, and Mina was just….Mina was just…

“Nayeon?” 

Nayeon’s eyes slid open, and Mina was looking at her with those searching eyes. “I….I rather liked that. Was that all there was?” 

Nayeon cleared her throat. The atmosphere in here was rapidly shifting, a certain pressure beginning to build up, and she didn’t like it. Mina was wonderful, yes, and Nayeon liked talking to her, being around her….but she was Warlord Hirai’s android. She needed to remember that. 

“There was more, but it was time to stop.” Nayeon mumbled, hopping off of the table and rubbing at her arms. Mina was quiet for a beat, and then slid off the stool, coming around to Nayeon’s side. 

“I appreciate that you shared a bit of your past with me, Nayeon. I do not often get experiences like this, if at all, and it makes me feel….nice.” Mina said.

Nayeon nodded, still not meeting her eyes as she tried to put a cap on whatever the hell was bubbling up inside her. 

“Could I share something of myself with you?” Mina asked quietly. Nayeon finally looked up at her, a little unnerved at the power in her gaze. Mina seemed to have every aspect of being humanoid turned on full- her emotions so much more intense than anyone else’s. Was this from her training, or just part of Mina and how special she was? 

“Yeah, absolutely. What is it?” Nayeon encouraged. Mina reached under her shirt with no hesitation, and as Nayeon watched in puzzlement, her expression twisted briefly and she made a soft grunt as she pulled something out. She took Nayeon’s hand, resting something in her palm before drawing away. 

Nayeon looked down at the tiny silver object in her palm. “Uh, what is this, exactly?” 

“It is a piece of my hardware.” Mina answered. “It came dislodged when I was wounded, and I managed to keep it intact.” 

“Um...okay. And you want me to do what with it?” 

“Momo does not know that I have it. And I do not want her to know, I want it to be kept safe. I think I deserve to have at least one part of me to myself. Something that can be designed for me, and so I am not totally owned by a human.” Mina replied. She was speaking with such a contemplative manner, weighing each word as if determined to give it its proper attention. Nayeon couldn’t help staring. Momo thought she was empty-headed? She had never met someone as introspective as this android. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I can keep it safe for you. I could probably put a small bit of programming into it, if you like.” Nayeon suggested, crossing over to her tool box and slipping the hardware into a pouch. “Something just for you, and not for the Warlord.”

“That is also something I have wanted to ask you about. Perhaps adding a few commands into my programming….something I can control.” Mina said, tugging at a lock of her hair distractedly. Now she was speaking Nayeon’s language. She shut the tool box and raised her eyebrows at Mina. 

“What’d you have in mind, darling?” 

Before Mina could answer, there was a rustling and then shouting splitting the calm atmosphere open outside the garage. 

“Sana! _Sana!”_

Nayeon had never heard Chaeyoung sound that disturbed. It chilled her blood. She and Mina exchanged brief looks of alarm, and Nayeon darted towards the doorway, looking around frantically until she saw Chaeyoung staring down at something inside the room at the end of the hall. 

“What’s the matter?” Nayeon asked, skidding to a stop beside Chaeyoung. She glanced down at the floor, and clapped her hands over her mouth. Sana was slumped on the mattress that the addicts usually occupied, limbs slack and mouth hanging open. 

“ _What the fuck._ I thought she was clean?” Nayeon spluttered as Chaeyoung dropped to her knees, desperately feeling Sana’s wrist. 

“She’s got a pulse! Barely, but, _oh fucking hell._ Jihyo!” Chaeyoung shouted out the door. Nayeon’s lungs seemed to be tightening, her breaths coming sharply. Sana couldn’t be dead. She was clean! She’d been so adamant about staying on top of it, and Nayeon had been so proud of her for it, and what the hell had happened?

Jihyo appeared from around the corner, panting. “I was dealing with one of the stupid addicts. What’s wro-” She broke off as she saw Sana, and her eyes widened with horror. 

"No. _No._ Sana, can you hear me?” She pushed Chaeyoung aside, pulling Sana up. Sana’s eyelids flickered, and they slid back. 

“Jihyo…?” Sana croaked. 

“What did she take?” Jihyo shouted. “What the fuck did she take?” 

“Jihyo….Jihyo, guess what?” Sana drawled, her voice horribly slurred and warped. “I’m floating, Jihyo. I feel _wonderful.”_

“Chaeyoung, get the medkit!” Jihyo snapped, cradling Sana’s head so it wouldn’t loll to the side. “Sweetheart, what did you take? What is this?” 

“Jihyo, do you wanna fly….with me?” Sana slurred, a horrible smile stretching over her face and a giggle escaping. “Come on, Jihyo….” 

Nayeon had never seen her like this, not on any of her drug binges, and it was terrifying to witness. If they didn’t know what the cause was, how could they cure it? 

“Jihyo, if I may.” Mina spoke up quietly from beside Nayeon. “I have something that may assist Sana, something that Momo installed in me.” 

Jihyo glanced at her, the anguish and naked panic almost overwhelming. “If you can save her…” 

Mina knelt down beside Sana, gently taking her arm as Sana continued to giggle weakly, and pressed the inside of her own arm. The skin slid back, and a control panel blinked up at them all. With another touch from Mina, a small syringe slipped out, and she injected it into Sana’s vein, ignoring the sudden movement from Jihyo. 

A few moments passed, and Sana shuddered. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and she sat up, clutching at Jihyo’s arm. Nayeon and Jihyo stared at her with bated breath. 

“Sana?” Jihyo whispered, touching Sana’s face with the back of her hand. “How do you feel?” 

Sana’s eyes drifted to hers, and she began to say something, but her expression twisted and she leaned over, gagging horribly before vomiting. Mina flinched away, slipping back behind Nayeon, but Nayeon felt a strange sense of relief as Sana retched. She was getting the toxins out of her system in at least one way, and with Jihyo’s emergency supplies...

Chaeyoung sprinted back into the room, skidding to a stop. “Is she-?” 

Jihyo paid them no mind, clasping Sana’s face gently in her hands. “Sana? How do you feel, sweetheart?” 

Sana swallowed thickly, convulsions beginning to spread throughout her body. “I don’t….I hurt, Jihyo.” she whimpered, raising a shaky hand to wipe at her mouth before burying her face in Jihyo’s shoulder. Jihyo slipped her arms under Sana without another word, rising to her feet with Sana cradled against her chest, and jerked her head at the mess on the floor. 

“Get one of the crew to clean that shit up. I’m putting her to bed. Chaeyoung, bring the kit, and get some water.” Jihyo ordered, and carried Sana away. Chaeyoung gave Nayeon a frightened look and followed Jihyo out of the room. 

“I am sorry I could not do more.” Mina whispered.

Nayeon let out an unsteady, dark laugh. “Without you, she might have died. You did plenty, Mina. What was that?” 

“Naloxone. Momo installed a supply in me for emergencies, but she has never had me use it before. She said that none of the Raiders were….worthy.” Mina trailed off, her expression sickened. Nayeon opened her mouth to….she wasn’t even sure, curse the Warlord’s name, reassure her, wonder about Sana, but Mina held her arms out. 

“Could I perhaps.... have a hug? I like to have them when I am feeling distressed, but Momo rarely grants them to me. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.” Mina mumbled, already looking embarrassed and as if she expected to be ridiculed. Nayeon smiled a little despite herself, weary affection pulsing in her chest. 

“Yeah, no problem, darling.” She drew Mina against her, feeling awkward at first, but Mina was so _soft._ She felt, well, good against Nayeon. Mina let out a tiny sigh and relaxed into Nayeon, her head resting under Nayeon’s chin, and Nayeon couldn’t help tightening her arms around her. 

It’d been so long since Nayeon had felt peaceful. Even longer since she’d felt truly comfortable with someone else. 

And of all the people it could’ve happened with, it had to be Warlord Hirai’s android. 

… 

Nayeon lifted the glass to her lips, staring unseeingly at the corners of the garage as she tossed the whiskey back. The familiar prickling heat was a welcome sensation, but it didn’t numb her the way it used to. Not that it had for a while, she was getting too good at this. 

She couldn’t stop thinking about Sana, picturing that horribly twisted look of euphoria on her face, the labored breaths. Why had she relapsed? What had she relapsed with? Wasn’t she doing good? And it had been clearly too much for her system…

“Knock, knock.” 

Nayeon glanced up. Chaeyoung was leaning against the doorway, looking cautious. “Mind if I join you?” 

Nayeon reached for the whiskey bottle and poured out another shot. “It’s a free country. Apocalyptic world, whatever.” 

Chaeyoung settled down on the steps next to her, taking the whiskey bottle for herself. 

“How’s Sana?” Nayeon asked after a few minutes of silence. This was their thing- drinking together to escape the shit they had to deal with on a daily basis, but usually the mood was a lot more lighthearted. Chaeyoung didn’t answer for a moment. 

“She’s not great. Hanging in there, but Mina has to keep giving her doses to keep her stable. Jihyo got her to drink some water, but she’s still out of it. She doesn’t remember shit.” 

“I don’t understand what happened.” Nayeon muttered, pushing her hair back impatiently. “She was better than any of us about staying off of that shit. She was _clean._ Why did she go back?” 

Chaeyoung sighed, pressing the bottle to her own mouth and taking an appreciative swallow. “I don’t….I don’t know. Part of me is shocked as hell, but another part of me...well, if I had to deal with the Warlord face to face like she’s had to, I’d be tempted too.” 

Nayeon frowned, a hint of an idea tickling the back of her thoughts. But when she tried to clamp down on it, it skittered away. Groaning in frustration, she tugged the bottle away from Chaeyoung. 

“I actually came here to talk about something else.” Chaeyoung said, not looking at Nayeon as she ran her finger over the crumbling stone of the steps. 

“I’m listening.” 

“You seem to be getting attached.” 

“What, to this whiskey? Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty more bottles where this came from. Jihyo’s stash is huge.” Nayeon told her. 

“To Mina.” 

Nayeon lowered the bottle. “To Mina?” she repeated quietly. 

“Look, I’m not trying to tell you how to spend your time, because frankly, it ain’t my business. But she likes you. We all can tell. Hell, Warlord Hirai can tell, and it’s pissing her off. But that isn’t the problem. You like her too, I can see it in your face when you’re together.” Chaeyoung said, still grazing the crumbling stone. 

Nayeon shifted, taking another swig from the bottle and feeling grateful when the edge of fuzziness began to swirl around her thoughts. “She’s nice. Better to talk to than half you morons.” Nayeon replied. 

“No, you don’t get it.” Chaeyoung said, sounding unusually frustrated as she turned to face Nayeon. “You’ve always been happy to spend more time around machines than us, and like, whatever, that’s your deal. But she’s not a bike, or a car, or anything like that. She’s an android, and one that doesn’t belong to you. She’s been conditioned to think that everything Warlord Hirai does is gospel. Did you ever think that maybe the Warlord _told_ her to get close to you?” 

Nayeon’s head whipped around, starting to pound both from the alcohol and from her anger. Anger at Chaeyoung for saying this shit, and anger at herself because she knew Chaeyoung could be right. And she knew that, she knew getting close to Mina could land her in a pile of shit. 

But Chaeyoung hadn’t seen the way Mina looked at her. 

“I’m aware of that. Thanks for the reminder.” Nayeon drawled. Chaeyoung sighed and snatched the whiskey bottle away from her. 

“I’ve seen differences in her too. Colors in her eyes that I’ve never seen in an android. You know anything about that?” 

Nayeon missed the feeling of the liquid heat pouring down her throat almost immediately, missed having something to do with her hands. She sighed, the flickers of purple in Mina’s eyes fleeting across her inner eye, and drummed her fingers against the steps. “I’ve seen it too.” 

Chaeyoung was quiet, and a tiny clinking made Nayeon turn her head to see Chaeyoung putting the cap back on. “I think she might be getting attached to you too. I didn’t know an android could form connections like that, but, well, there’s a first time for everything. But she’s still Warlord Hirai’s property-” 

“She’s not property.” Nayeon snapped. 

“Sorry. She’s still Warlord Hirai’s, and it’s still dangerous to be around her. We don’t know what they’ve been planning, and just because she did business with Jihyo doesn’t mean we’re safe.” Chaeyoung patted her arm, confliction shining in her gaze. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want…” 

Nayeon couldn’t fault her, much as she wanted something to blame. Warlord Hirai was putting them all on edge, and Nayeon looked forward to every second she was away from the Refuge. But Mina was different. She was special. Her darling. 

“I will, Chaeyoung. Don’t worry about me.” She slipped the bottle casually back from Chaeyoung and pulled the cap off. Chaeyoung looked at her for a moment longer and shook her head, getting to her feet and dusting off her pants. 

“I wish I didn’t have to.” Chaeyoung muttered, before walking out the doorway. Nayeon turned the bottle around and around in her hands, and a certain someone’s sweet face flickered back to life in her thoughts. 

“I wish you didn’t have to, either.” Nayeon mumbled before taking another swig.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Sana isn't dead 
> 
> If anyone's curious, the song Nayeon sings for Mina is 'Neon' by John Mayer.


	6. Chapter 6

“ _Damn it.”_

Jeongyeon blew a strand of stringy hair out of her face and gave Momo a questioning look. “What’s up?” 

Momo didn’t pay her any attention, listening hard for the frequency that was a constant thrum in the back of her mind. It was her connection to Mina, something that had been established so long ago that she only noticed its absence now. 

“I can’t get through to Mina.” Momo muttered, hating the fact that she had to reveal any sense of weakness to any of the Raiders. Jeongyeon looked surprised, hoisting her helmet up a little further against her side. 

“The implant broke? But that’s never happened before.” 

“Yeah, I’m fully aware of that, thank you.” Momo snapped back. This was the last straw. Her emotions had been boiling inside for days, aided by the blistering heat and the endless yellowed landscape surrounding them. She couldn’t stop thinking about Mina, even if she’d ordered her to stay behind, and what she might be doing. Was that fucking mechanic drooling over her again, or was she scavenging with Chaeyoung and Sana- well, not Sana. Momo’s lip quirked up in a sneer at the thought of Sana. 

“Well,” said Jeongyeon, reaching for her water pouch and flicking a few drops at her face, “just have Nayeon look her over when we get back. She fixed her once, she can do it again.” 

“I don’t need _her_ to take care of Mina. _I_ can take care of Mina, I always have.” Momo growled, turning away from Jeongyeon to shield her eyes against the sun and watch the Raiders take a breather. She would never admit how much it rankled that there were just some things- a few, tiny, barely important things- that she couldn’t do for Mina. Maybe Nayeon getting closer to Mina would benefit her in other ways too. Mina could pick up on whatever Nayeon’s skills were and Momo could learn from them. Then there’d be no use for her. See, there’s a solution to every problem. 

“Are you ready to depart again, Warlord?” It was Tzuyu, coming up from the ring of where the Raiders parked their bikes, wiping at the dirt on her face. Momo paused, pressing the implant button once more and concentrating as hard as she could....but there was still no hum. Fucking _hell._ This wasn’t right. She couldn’t have this stress looming over her the rest of the travel to the Sanctuary. She needed a release, now. 

A gradual rumble resonated in the air, and Momo swiveled her head around, squinting into the distance. She knew that sound, and the parting clouds of dust choking the air sent a shiver of delight down her spine. It was like a gift sent straight from the heavens. 

“Is that a Raider?” Jeongyeon asked, peering into the distance herself. The rider was close enough to see their outline now, and Momo was only a little disappointed that there was just one of them. She could still work with this. 

The Raiders snarled, going for their bikes and preparing to rev the engines, but Momo held a hand up. “Hold the line! Stand down!” she shouted. 

Jeongyeon and Tzuyu exchanged startled looks behind her, but she ignored them as she stepped forward to meet the slowing rider, a helmet obscuring their face. Their engine cut off, and the bike came to a stop a few feet away. The rider flipped their visor up. 

“Well, I didn’t expect to come across any other Raiders this far out.” the rider said with a chuckle, glancing across their faces and shifting on his seat. “How y’all doing?” 

The Raiders had gone still, much like a pack of animals upon seeing their prey, and Momo allowed herself a moment to enjoy their compliance on waiting for her orders. She walked towards the rider, smiling and spreading her arms wide. 

“This is a welcome surprise. We’ve been journeying so long that we haven’t had the opportunity to relax and clean up in a long time.” she said easily. What little tension remained in the rider’s shoulders relaxed, and he climbed off of his bike, taking a step forward. 

“Not much out here to scavenge, I’m afraid. But if you’d like to follow me, I’m headed for a spot. They’ve got gas and other loot that might be of interest to you.” he invited. Such openness in his expression, not at all guarding his person or his bike. It was almost too easy. 

“Oh, I’m in no need of loot.” Momo told him, hand drifting to her belt. She could hear the sharp inhales of Jeongyeon and Tzuyu behind her. “But, I do believe there is _something_ you could provide for me.” 

“What would that be?” asked the rider, tilting his head. 

Almost too easy, yes. 

But still enjoyable. 

Momo laughed at the look of utter shock on the rider’s face as she brought her blade up in one abrupt, cold, clean slice. Right under his rib cage and through his heart, her favorite method of killing. She hadn’t gotten to use it in a while, and the flow of his hot blood as it spilled out onto her fingers washed away the bitter frustration that had been bubbling up inside her. 

She yanked the blade away from his body, pushing him away and turning to the silent Raiders. Only Tzuyu and Jeongyeon looked unsurprised. The others were either staring at the rider’s body or meeting her eyes warily, then hastily looking away. She shook her head as she stepped towards them. Surprise should be the last thing they were feeling after a performance like that. 

“Check his shit.” she ordered, waving the stained blade at his bike and towards the bag hanging off of the side. A few of her crew scrambled to obey, and Momo gave Jeongyeon and Tzuyu a pleased look as she wiped the filth off of her weapon. 

“I feel _so_ much better. Come on, you two, it’s time we depart! Don’t want to miss our appointment with Dahyun.” Momo clapped them on the back as she headed for her bike. 

Maybe there were some benefits to Mina not being here. Whenever her angel was around, she at least _tried_ to tone down the excess violence, just a bit. Mina was pure, after all. But without her here....there was no reason for Momo to feel guilt. And no reason for her to bridle any of her emotions, if they should so come to a boil again... 

Momo grinned, raising the blade to her mouth and indulging in just a trace of the blood left behind. 

She was going to enjoy this trip. 

… 

Jihyo couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so cold. 

The Wasteland never got this feeling. Everyone had become accustomed to the heat, the brief periods of coolness at night when the sun went down, and the scratchy feeling of thirst never lurking too far away. But seeing Sana lay here, with the pallidness to her skin and the shadows under her eyes, there was a certain chill that Jihyo couldn’t seem to shake. 

She rolled her eyes hearing the way Momo went on about Mina, about her perfect, beautiful _angel,_ her uncorrupted gem, but this was one area she could almost feel a connection to Momo for. Because Sana _was_ her angel. Not in a desperate, tortured way like Mina was for Momo, but there were only a few reasons why Jihyo didn’t take one of their machetes and drive it through her own heart. Sana was most of them. 

Jihyo swallowed, leaning forward from the uncomfortable chair and reaching out to touch Sana’s cheek. It was overly warm and dry, but still a sense of Sana’s softness underneath. She inhaled shakily and sank back against the chair, never taking her eyes off of Sana’s face. She didn’t even want to blink, terrified that the universe might steal Sana away if she wasn’t careful. 

What the fuck could she have taken? Jihyo was the one with the problem, the one battling the urge to fade into a drug-induced haze every day. It had lessened some when Momo left, but it was still there, burning like a dull flame as a constant temptation as the minutes dragged on. She’d been fighting it for Sana, trying to shape herself into the person Sana seemed to see her as. 

She’d wanted to burn the whole settlement to the ground after that image of Sana slumped over invaded her vision. But how else could she support them? She had no other methods of surviving. Jihyo closed her eyes, pushing the imminent tears back, and whispered into the dank, still air, pleading to an unforgiving universe. 

“Please don’t take Sana from me. She’s all I have....she’s all I _want._ Punish me any other way you like, for doing business with someone like Hirai Momo. But please don’t take Sana....” 

“Don’t worry.” Jihyo’s eyes shot open at the hoarse chuckle. Sana was attempting to pull herself into a sitting position, even that small motion causing her to break into a sweat. 

“I don’t plan on going anywhere for a long, long time. You’re stuck with me.” 

“What the hell are you doing? Lay back down, you need rest!” Jihyo snapped, pushing Sana back down as gently as she could. Sana grumbled and winced, although Jihyo could see the fleeting look of relief in her expression as she obeyed. 

“Fine, fine. I can still-” 

Jihyo cut her off with a kiss, slow and deep and laced with every bit of relief and gratitude that she could muster. Sana’s mouth was fevered and a little chapped, but Jihyo had never felt closer to her, never so happy to be able to touch her. 

“Jihyo?” Sana whispered against her lips, and her fingers brushed Jihyo’s cheek. “You’re crying...” 

Jihyo pulled away, wiping hastily under her eyes and cursing herself for being weak in this moment. Sana was the one who needed _her,_ not the other way around. 

“These aren’t sad tears.” Jihyo mumbled, grabbing Sana’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “They’re irritated tears that you put me through this and took so long to wake up.” 

Sana laughed, pressing a kiss to the back of Jihyo’s hand. “Sorry about that. I’ll do better next time.” 

“But there won’t _be_ a next time, will there?” Jihyo asserted, gripping Sana’s hand harder. “Because you’re not going to do this again. We’re going to work through everything together.” 

Sana stared down at their linked hands, entirely silent. A flash of guilt went through Jihyo, and she rubbed her thumb over Sana’s knuckles. “I’m not mad at you, Sana. Relapses happen. I just....I just wish you’d talked to me first so I could’ve kept you safe, and made sure you didn’t go over your limit.” 

Sana looked up at her, and Jihyo was a little surprised to see the intensity of her expression. “But that’s the problem. I don’t remember deciding to relapse. I had no intention of doing so. I was feeling fine without it, as far as I can remember.” 

Jihyo frowned. “Well, the strength of the drug is certainly logical as to why you would have spaces in your memory....” 

Sana shook her head, succeeding in sitting up this time and pulling Jihyo closer. “I didn’t. I know it looks that way, and it probably sounds like I’m making excuses, but I’m _not._ I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I do remember going into that room...and I wasn’t alone.” 

Jihyo’s eyes narrowed. “You were when we got there. But you think maybe someone, what, coaxed you into it?” 

Sana’s lower lip jutted out, and she looked so terribly sad that it sent a pang through Jihyo’s heart. “I don’t remember.” she whispered, dropping her eyes from Jihyo’s. “I’m sorry, love, I just can’t remember.” 

There would be time to deal with this mystery and all of that later. Jihyo had her priorities. She nodded reassuringly, reaching down for the glass of water she’d set there and pressing it into Sana’s hand. “Drink some of this, sweetheart. You’ve been asleep forever, and you need to stay hydrated.” 

Sana took the glass, settling further into the pillow as Jihyo got up from the chair and crossed the room to crawl into the bed beside her. “Have you been here all this time?” Sana asked softly, smiling a little as Jihyo blushed. 

“What’s more important than you?” Jihyo muttered. “Now drink your water.” 

Sana obliged, setting the glass down on the chair and snuggling up to Jihyo. “I’m sorry I made you so scared.” Sana said, resting her head on Jihyo’s shoulder. Jihyo took a moment to breathe her in, the familiar scent of what she recognized as Sana drifting towards her. “I didn’t mean to. I just don’t remember...” 

Jihyo kissed the top of her head, weaving their fingers together again and feeling her body deflate with relief as Sana nestled closer against her. “That’s not important right now. All that matters to me is that you’re okay. We can try and figure out this shit later.” 

Sana hummed, turning Jihyo’s face towards her with a finger and pressing their lips together. “That sounds good to me. I love you, Jihyo.” Sana mumbled drowsily, laying her head back on Jihyo’s shoulder. Jihyo could feel Sana’s lashes fluttering against her neck, and she closed her own eyes as she rested against the pillow, a little of the stress draining away. 

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Jihyo whispered, even though Sana was already asleep again. For now, she was going to stay right here and keep Sana warm, make sure she stayed safe and calm and loved. 

But when Sana was better? She was going to find out exactly who the snake was that was responsible for this. 

… 

“How are you _so good_ at this game?” Chaeyoung complained, flinging her cards down as Mina giggled. _Giggled._ Nayeon watched them fondly, pushing her hair back as Mina shrugged. 

“I do not know. I have never played cards before. I suppose I am just a natural.” Mina beamed as Chaeyoung rolled her eyes good-naturedly and stretched her arms over her head. It was nice to spend time with them outside of the garage and scavenging, like regular people. It reminded Nayeon of the Haven, and how hyper competitive Jisoo would get whenever they played cards. Jennie always gave up after one and a half games, but Nayeon and Jisoo would keep playing into the night, feeding off of each other’s competitiveness until they were practically flipping the table over. Jennie would come back in and smack them both with a pillow, complaining they needed to shut up. 

It was odd, Nayeon mused silently as Chaeyoung and Mina began piling the cards together, chattering about nothing. Jennie and Jisoo, and her memories of the Haven, had been frequenting her thoughts more and more lately. And it didn’t bother her....sometimes she even felt like sharing them. But she couldn’t risk that, much as she might want to. And the reason for her walls coming down? 

_Mina,_ Nayeon thought, _do you even understand how exceptional you are?_

“I have some business I promised Jihyo I would take care of.” Chaeyoung said with an appreciative groan, standing up and stretching again. “I’ll see you guys later?” 

“I would like that.” Mina called after her as Chaeyoung left the main room. She looked back at Nayeon, giving her a small smile. Nayeon smiled back, finding it easier and easier to slip into this sense of comfortableness with her. 

“So, what do you wanna do? Another game?” Nayeon eventually asked, pointing at the cards. Mina shook her head. 

“I would like to talk to you, if that is fine.” 

“You’re talking to me now, darling.” Nayeon pointed out, grinning when Mina looked indignant. 

“Not like this. This is casual banter.” Mina muttered. “I have important things to say.” 

Nayeon sat up, all sense of teasing dissipating. “Okay...what’s going on?” 

Mina hesitated. “Could you come closer? I feel a bit better when you are near.” 

Nayeon got up without a second thought, crossing over to Mina’s side on the couch and waiting patiently. Part of her wanted to suggest going into the garage for maximum privacy, but since the Warlord had left, it’d been relatively quiet here, and her main concern was listening to Mina. 

Mina looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together. Nayeon reached over and took her hand, giving her a reassuring smile when Mina glanced up. Mina took a deep breath. 

“I have been conflicted over this matter for some time. I learned to keep it to myself, because Momo does not like questions. But I could not keep it inside any longer....I felt as if I was going to burst, Nayeon.” Mina looked at her pleadingly, the desperation in her voice and expression catching Nayeon off guard, and also sparking a bit of, yet again, rage against the Warlord. 

“You can tell me whatever you want.” Nayeon told her quietly, squeezing her hand for emphasis. “I won’t judge you, and it won’t bother me. Promise.” 

Mina shifted uneasily, and looked away as she continued. “Do you know your purpose?” 

Nayeon raised her eyebrows. “My purpose?” she echoed. 

“Yes. Do you know what yours is?” 

Nayeon took a moment to mull over the question. During the days, she was generally kept so busy that she didn’t have a moment’s time to ponder over such things. But at nights, when she knew Sana was curled up with Jihyo, and Chaeyoung was asleep or out racing with the crew, existential crisis did creep in. How could it not, in the type of world they lived in? But she had something to strive for, something to work towards. 

“I don’t know if my life has a grander purpose.” Nayeon answered slowly. “But I know what goal I’m working to, and that is serving as my purpose right now. To achieve it, for me.” 

_And for Jennie and Jisoo._

Mina seemed lost in her realm of pensiveness. “Do you....do you think _I_ have a purpose?” she finally asked, almost inaudibly. 

Nayeon’s heart clenched with sympathy, with a sudden, fierce rush of protectiveness that surprised her with its force. Whatever happened from now on, she was going to do her best to keep Mina happy. If anyone could truly be happy anymore... 

“I think we all have a purpose, darling.” Nayeon replied, tracing her thumb over the back of Mina’s hand. “You’re here, and I’m here, all on the same shithole planet. It doesn’t matter how it happened. We’re here now, and it’s up to us to make the most of what we have. Some people fuck it up, but you’re too smart for that.” Nayeon nudged her, but Mina still looked sad. 

“I am not people.” Mina said quietly, pulling her hand away from Nayeon. 

“You’re _better.”_ Nayeon replied firmly. “You’re so good and smart and good at listening, and warm, and....” she trailed off, a blush starting to heat the tips of her ears as Mina looked up. 

“You truly believe all of that?” Mina asked, almost shyly. It was adorable. Imagine being shy because of Nayeon. 

“I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” Nayeon assured her. Mina slowly placed her hand back in Nayeon’s, examining their linked fingers. 

“Would you like to know a secret, Nayeon?” Mina murmured. Something in her voice changed, shifting to a deeper, more serious tone, and it did.... _things_ for Nayeon. Was it getting hotter in here? 

“Uh, sure.” Nayeon answered, swallowing nervously as Mina looked at her again. 

“Traveling with Momo is always dangerous. I did not realize that life could be any other way until we arrived here. I accepted her words as law. And I never felt truly comfortable, although these realizations are slowly coming to fruition.” Mina trailed off, letting out a small sigh. 

“I never felt safe until I met you.” Mina said softly. 

Nayeon couldn’t speak. 

Mina glanced up at her concernedly, and the smile that Nayeon adored spread across her face. “Your face is very red. It is cute.” Mina lifted a finger and poked Nayeon’s cheek gently, and laughed when Nayeon scowled. 

“It happens sometimes.” Nayeon mumbled. The gleam of soft pleasure unfolding in her chest was a very welcome sensation, although she wasn’t sure why she felt so weak at Mina’s statement. 

Mina considered her, tilting her head, and then leaned over, so quickly that Nayeon almost missed it, and placed a small kiss on Nayeon’s cheek. 

“I have wanted to do that for some time.” Mina admitted, looking down when Nayeon stared at her. 

“Uh, I don’t mind...” 

Jisoo would be laughing at her right now. 

“May I rest with you for a little while, Nayeon?” Mina whispered. Nayeon was having a hard time focusing right now, but she managed to nod, letting out a little squeak of surprise when Mina rested her head in her lap. 

“I feel calm like this. It is nice.” Mina mumbled, and Nayeon looked down to see her eyes close. Laughing under her breath, she began to stroke Mina’s hair absently, leaning her head against the sofa and allowing a sense of..... _serenity_ to settle over her. 

It was fitting, after all. 

Mina made her feel safe too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like writing a few softer moments to combat all the mess Momo's been putting them through in the last few chapters 
> 
> (Side note: Everyone watch On The Ground when it comes out!!! Rosé is my ultimate bias and I'm really proud of her, I'm so excited about it)


	7. Chapter 7

“Okay, run your command list by me again.” Nayeon said, frowning as she poked at Mina’s bit of hardware with her pliers. Not that she wasn’t happy to help her out, but the fluid from Mina’s wound coated the material and was making it harder than usual to reprogram. Nayeon wasn’t going to let it hold her back, though. 

Mina never shifted from her position on the stool next to Nayeon’s, her new favorite spot. Before, she’d spent more time wandering around the settlement or staying close to Chaeyoung, who seemed to be the only other person she really trusted here, but lately she was lingering in the garage. And she had become so tactile. Nayeon never saw an android like that before, but Mina found any excuse to brush her hand against Nayeon’s, or put her head on her shoulder, or sit so close that their legs touched. 

And if truth be told, it felt comforting. Much more comforting than Nayeon was used to. She still wasn’t sure what to make of it. 

“There are only a few aside from the two you already know of.” Mina replied, resting her chin on her arms. “Sequence: Gratification. Sequence: Deference. And Sequence: Disclosure. Momo may have thought of more, but these are the ones she uses the most frequently.” 

Nayeon allowed herself a small smile of triumph when she finally scraped the last of the fluid off of the hardware. “And the one you wanted me to install for you, do you have it in mind?” she asked. 

Mina was quiet. Nayeon’s eyes flickered to her face, having gotten used to her little comments and random noises while she was working. It was almost like being around a babbling child, but Nayeon had gotten used to the constant white noise. She even appreciated it. She’d never really understood the phrase ‘silence is deafening’ until she came to the Refuge. 

“Mina?” Nayeon prompted, setting down the pliers. 

“I do know what I would like to have, yes.” said Mina, not meeting Nayeon’s gaze. Bewildered, Nayeon reached out to take her hand reassuringly. Mina gratefully squeezed her fingers, even holding Nayeon’s hand up to her cheek and leaning into the touch. Nayeon’s heart warmed with fondness, but there was also a pang throbbing underneath at the thought of how starved Mina must be for just _affection,_ for someone to treat her like her feelings mattered and that she had significance. 

“You wanna tell me about it?” Nayeon asked, knowing she’d get better results if she let Mina dictate the conversation here. She’d learned that it was easier for Mina to express herself on her own terms, which explained why she never shared with the Warlord the way she did with Nayeon. There were no terms in Warlord Hirai’s world aside from her own. 

Mina sighed, dropping Nayeon’s hand and giving her one of those profound looks, the one that made Nayeon feel like her entire being was transparent and laid bare for Mina to see. “You must promise me you will not get upset.” 

“Why would I get upset?” 

Mina shook her head impatiently. “You must _promise_ me.” she insisted. Nayeon frowned, confusion sweeping through her, but the look in Mina’s eyes was so serious that she couldn’t deny her for long. 

“Yeah, I promise. Scout’s honor.” Nayeon held her hand up solemnly. Mina rolled her eyes a little- something she seemed to have picked up from Jihyo or Chaeyoung- and leaned forward, slipping off the stool to whisper in Nayeon’s ear. 

_What?_

_She can’t be serious._

Nayeon pulled away, the blood starting to roar in her ears. She was vaguely aware of the growing alarm in Mina’s expression, who had never seen her freeze up like this, but of all the things to ask for, to request of Nayeon, she wanted _this?_

“You can’t be for real. You can’t actually expect me to make that for you.” Nayeon protested. Mina’s face fell. 

“You promised, Nayeon.” said Mina quietly. Nayeon swallowed, her mind flickering and spinning and no longer there in the garage, but back at the Haven. 

_“I can’t get these stupid wires crossed!” Jennie wailed, pushing the practice materials away from her and burying her face in her arms. Jisoo reached over from her own workstation, not looking up, and patted Jennie’s back sympathetically._

_“Hey, Jennie, relax, it’s_ _gonna_ _be okay.”_ _Nayeon_ _told her, leaning across the table and rubbing her arm. She didn’t want to say anything out loud, but Jennie had been struggling more and more lately, and it was honestly starting to concern her. It wasn’t like Jennie couldn’t do the work too, but her confidence went down when she made even the tiniest mistake, and she was so hard on herself. It didn’t matter what anybody said, and it was becoming harder and harder to pull her out of the dark cloud she disappeared into._

_“_ _No_ _it’s not.” Jennie’s voice was muffled behind her arms, but_ _Nayeon_ _could hear the crack in it, and her heart twisted with pain. “We’re supposed to do this together. We’re supposed to advance together, and find an android together, and work on it together. How are we going to do any of that if I keep fucking up?”_

_Jisoo looked at_ _Nayeon_ _, her own brow now creased with concern._ _Nayeon_ _nudged Jennie’s arm until she peeked up, eyes shimmering with frustration and a lens of tears._

_“Hey, listen to me. No more of this kind of talk. You’re just as good as us. You’ve been better than us, in fact. Everyone goes through self-doubt, okay? It doesn’t mean you’re a fuck up. It means you have bad days, like every other person. And on the_ _days_ _you do, me and Jisoo will be here to catch you.”_ _Nayeon_ _gave her a reassuring smile, flicking Jennie on the forehead until she let out a watery chuckle and pushed Nayeon away._

_“Is that a promise?” Jennie asked, picking her tools back up and shifting a little closer to Jisoo._ _Nayeon_ _paused in her own busywork, hearing the little hesitation in her tone. To anyone who wasn’t her or Jisoo, it would be disguised, buried underneath the softness of her voice. But_ _Nayeon_ _could pick up on it. Jennie took great stock in promises, and her trust wasn’t something easy to gain._

_“Yeah, it’s a promise.”_ _Nayeon_ _said._

_Jennie looked up at her, the light returning to her eyes, and_ _Nayeon_ _was both relieved to see it, and heavily aware of the weight settling on her back from the seal of the promise._

_But what reason would she ever have to break it?_

“Nayeon?” Mina was shaking her arm, looking truly alarmed now. Nayeon pushed away from the table and ran her hands through her hair, fingers trembling ever so slightly. This wasn’t the Haven, and there was no longer a Jennie or a Jisoo to keep promises to. 

There _was_ Mina. Mina, the curious, alluring, bright android that Nayeon could feel herself getting more and more attached to. Bit by bit, piece by piece, Mina was tunneling her way into a place that was too dangerous for Nayeon to allow her. She couldn’t get her emotions tangled up like this again. How many times could a person’s heart break and still work, after all? 

“If this is what you really want....” Nayeon muttered, searching Mina’s face for any indication that she would take it back, that she would give Nayeon the out she wanted, because granting this to Mina was pretty much confirming what Nayeon couldn’t say out loud. 

Mina’s eyes lit up. Not with a burst of color, but a burst of emotion, exultant and lovely and reward enough in itself. “I do. More than is conceivable. Thank you, Nayeon.” She got up and flung her arms around Nayeon, burying her face in Nayeon’s neck, and Nayeon froze. 

She could push Mina away, keep her at arms length the way she should, the way she _needed to._ But.... 

Nayeon lifted her arms, pulling Mina further against her and resting her cheek against the top of Mina’s head. Somewhere, deep in the recesses of her mind, she could hear the final, booming _click_ of yet another seal. A devotion she wasn’t going to escape. The hell with it. What did she have to lose at this point? 

Mina seemed perfectly content to remain there, her soft breathing in time with Nayeon’s, and Nayeon would’ve liked to indulge her, but this was getting borderline dangerous. She gently untangled herself from Mina’s grip, trying to ignore the adorable pout on Mina’s face when she did, and cleared her throat. 

“I can start work on that now, if you like.” She pointed at the hardware. Mina beamed and slipped back on the stool, folding her hands on her lap. Nayeon laughed despite herself, leaning over to drop a kiss on the top of her head before looking around for her goggles. 

“Nayeon?” 

Both of them looked up at the quiet sound of Jihyo’s voice. Nayeon was surprised to hear it, seeing as Jihyo had hardly left Sana’s side in the past few days, and Nayeon hadn’t heard her speak in all that time, even if Sana was getting better. She always looked stressed, but the haunted aspect in her expression, the tension in her shoulders as if she was attached to a wire, and the constant suspicion in her eyes was making Jihyo look.... _decayed._ Like the pressure from both outside and in was catching up to her, rotting her away. 

“What’s up?” Nayeon asked quietly, dropping her tools again and crossing to Jihyo’s side. Jihyo glanced at Mina, who was studying the hardware again, a small smile hovering around her mouth. 

“Can she hear us?” Jihyo replied. Nayeon’s eyebrows pulled together, but she shook her head. 

“She doesn’t eavesdrop.” 

“It’s not a question of her integrity.” Jihyo snapped, her voice rising slightly, and she winced, as if the force had pained her. She jerked her head towards the hall, and Nayeon sighed, following her out. 

“What’s the deal? Is Sana okay? Does she need another dose?” 

Jihyo’s head was down, her arms crossed over her chest as she didn’t speak. Nayeon was at a loss for what to do. Jihyo was her boss, yes, and maybe her imprisoner of sorts. But she’d also saved her life when she didn’t have to, and given Nayeon her space when she needed it the most, and well...Nayeon cared about this irritating, huffy drug lord. 

“Jihyo?” 

“Sana’s fine.” Jihyo muttered, lifting her head, voice rough and gritty. “But she could’ve been worse. Much worse. It doesn’t take much, you know. One wrong imbalance this way or another, and it all could’ve gone south.” 

Nayeon was unsure how to respond, so she kept silent, letting Jihyo continue to process. 

“We both know she didn’t relapse.” Jihyo said, meeting Nayeon’s eyes. Hers were pools of raw anger, torment, so many bitter emotions that Nayeon could practically taste the sourness on her tongue. “Something happened to her. Some _one.”_

“Who?” 

Jihyo’s gaze sharpened into something colder, hollow and beyond hatred. Nayeon had never seen her look like that. Sure, she’d been exasperated, furious even when the crew fucked up or there was a particularly loathsome addict around, but this was emptiness. The kind of gaze someone had when they had nothing to lose, and a grudge smoldering underneath. 

“Isn’t it obvious? The same person responsible for all the shit going down here since she arrived. _Momo.”_ Jihyo spat. “I’ve never seen Sana react that way to any of the other substances, and Momo had a problem with her from the start. I should’ve taken it more seriously, but I just....didn’t think.” She swallowed, the old tortured look flashing across her face for a moment, and then her jaw tightened. 

“I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised.” Nayeon said darkly, resisting the urge to put her fist through the wall at the thought of Warlord Hirai’s sneer. “But what difference does it make now? She’s gone. And when she gets back-” 

“When she gets back, this is going to turn into a warzone.” Jihyo cut across her. “I’m not letting her get away with this shit. But I don’t want to accuse her with nothing to back me up. I need hard evidence, so she can’t escape it.” 

Nayeon blinked, puzzled. “What do you want me to do about it?” 

Jihyo leaned forward, the intensity in her gaze startling. “She and Mina have a connection implant. And I know she’s the only one Momo tells everything to, because she’s the only living thing Momo trusts. She would’ve told her what happened. I need you to access those records from Mina.” 

Nayeon’s eyes widened. She would’ve taken a step back if Jihyo wouldn’t have taken it as a sign of disagreement. Confronting Warlord Hirai was one thing. Putting her in her place and making her taste some of the pain she inflicted, even. Nayeon was longing to do that herself. But using Mina? Mina, who didn’t have anything to do with it? 

“I....that’s a bit of a violation against Mina.” Nayeon protested, half turned to the side in case Jihyo swung out at her in frustration. Jihyo’s eyes narrowed. 

“She’s an android.” 

“But she still has feelings and thoughts of her own. And the implant-” 

“Nayeon.” Jihyo’s voice was deathly calm. It was her version of a snake’s rattle, a warning that hell was about to follow her words if Nayeon wasn’t careful. “I know you’re fond of Mina. Hell, I like her. How she’s managed to deal with Momo all this time is beyond me. I even respect her for that. But you’ve known her how long? A few weeks?” 

“It’s not about-” 

“This isn’t about me, or you, or her.” Jihyo interrupted. “It’s about Sana. Again, I get that you like Mina. But I _love_ Sana. She’s the most important person in my life, and her well being is my priority. Mina is, indirectly or directly, a product of the Warlord, and I can’t allow her to keep endangering Sana. I need to know exactly what happened so I’m not shedding unnecessary blood. I won’t go into this blind. I need you to help me there.” 

She didn’t add _Or_ _else,_ but Nayeon heard it loud and clear, ringing through the air like a tower bell. 

“Jihyo, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. But Mina told me this herself: her connection implant with the Warlord has been deactivated. For a length of time, it sounds like. She probably doesn’t have any record of what happened.” Nayeon told her, and even as she put sincerity into her statement, a prick of guilt was burrowing into her heart. Yes, this was true, but Jihyo and Chaeyoung were right. Her feelings for Mina were something precious and valuable to her, something she wanted to keep close as long as she could, and part of that was keeping Mina happy, so she could slowly wash away the taint of Warlord Hirai lathered all over her essence. 

Jihyo’s face drained of color, and her fingers slowly curled into a fist, the knuckles pale and drawn. Nayeon swallowed, reaching out hesitantly to....what? Pat her arm like she would’ve for Jennie? 

Jihyo didn’t give her the opportunity, instead whirling and slamming her fist into the wall, the thin, cracked frame shaking. “ _Fuck!”_

“Jihyo?” 

Nayeon glanced up to see Sana and Chaeyoung coming down the hall, Sana wrapped in a blanket and looking almost as haggard as Jihyo. Chaeyoung was dressed in riding clothing, her helmet dangling from her waist, and both paused a few feet away from Jihyo, eyes full of concern. 

Jihyo drew away from the wall, staring down at her split knuckles as if she couldn’t recognize it. Sana looked from the wall to Jihyo and let out a small yelp. 

“Jihyo, what did you do? _Why_ did you-?” She took Jihyo’s hand in both of hers, and glanced at Nayeon in bewilderment. Chaeyoung’s glance was full of more understanding. 

Nayeon could almost hear the Warlord laughing. 

Jihyo groaned and dropped her head onto Sana’s shoulder, wrapping her unwounded arm around Sana’s waist. Her muscles were shaking with fatigue and emotion, and Nayeon could tell from the fleeting look she shared with Sana that Sana wanted them to leave. 

“I’ll just go write down our findings in the log.” Chaeyoung mumbled, backing up and heading back the way they’d came. Nayeon spared Jihyo one last look, quiet sadness billowing up inside, and went back into the garage, closing the door behind her a little harder than she meant to. 

Mina looked up from the table, at first enthusiastic but quickly looking concerned. “Nayeon?” she questioned, slipping off of the stool and coming to meet her in the middle of the room. “What is it?” 

Nayeon watched her, aware of the muscle beating rapidly in her own throat, really looking at Mina’s round eyes and hesitant smile and smooth, poreless skin. She was so realistic and yet so alien at the same time. Looking at her was like looking into the sun for too long, but Nayeon was afraid that if she closed her eyes, Mina’s light would burn out. 

“Nayeon?” Mina asked again, taking a step forward and laying her hand on Nayeon’s arm. There shouldn’t be any type of electricity, no tension between them, because androids weren’t people. They didn’t _have_ real emotions. They acted on simulations, perfect imitations installed in them. Logically, that was the truth. Wasn’t it? 

Then why did Nayeon’s body respond to hers this way? 

“Mina, please don’t.” Nayeon whispered, slightly twisting away and hating herself for the look on Mina’s face. It had to be this way. For her sake, for Nayeon’s sake, for.... 

What was she fighting for anymore? 

“Have I done something wrong?” Mina said softly, regret darkening her gaze. Which didn’t make any fucking sense. What did androids have to regret? Why would anyone teach them that emotion? It meant nothing to them. They had nothing to guilt over, because they did what they were told to do. Right? 

“No. You never do. It’s me. It’s always me.” Nayeon mumbled. She couldn’t take a step back, not this time from fear but from her addiction to Mina’s proximity. What a stupid thing to cling to, something she couldn’t have. But Mina looked at her like she wanted that too. 

“I would like to help, if I can.” Mina said, tilting her head. “I am a good listener, I think. And I do not like to see you so sad. It....pains me too. And I think it is maybe because-” 

Nayeon was fucking doomed. 

“Mina.” Nayeon interrupted, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her in closer. She’d never handled her like that before, seeing the way the Warlord always did, but she would lose her nerve if she didn’t, and she just couldn’t take that look in Mina’s eyes anymore. 

Mina’s eyes widened slightly, and Nayeon hesitated, searching her face for any indication she didn’t want this. Simulated feelings or not, Nayeon wasn’t going to treat her the way Warlord Hirai did. Mina’s feelings mattered to her. Much, much more than they should. 

Mina only looked back at her, her expression soft and trusting (Could androids trust? Was it even possible?) and what looked like expectant to Nayeon. 

To hell with it all. 

Nayeon kissed her, just the lightest press of their lips together, almost more like a test, a memory of a kiss. She pulled back almost immediately, heart pumping so fast that she thought she might pass out. This was the moment when Mina would inject her with whatever Warlord (probably) injected Sana with, or pressed that activation button on her neck and called the Warlord back to drive a knife through Nayeon’s chest, or oh God- 

Mina’s hand trailed up Nayeon’s side to rest on the side of her neck. Nayeon had never seen an android’s eyes flash red, brilliant cherry red, but Mina’s did, wonderment following after. “I would like for you to do that again.” she whispered. 

Nayeon swallowed. “What about Warlord Hirai...?” 

She hoped Mina knew she was asking more than one question here, the implication thick and almost suffocating between them. Mina merely smiled and gently trailed her fingers through Nayeon’s hair. 

“You have helped me realize that I do not belong to her. Or anyone else. I belong to myself, and therefore, I am allowed to make my own choices, act on my own feelings. My feelings are nothing but pure when I am around you. I would like for you to do that again.” 

Nayeon bit her lip, hesitation’s grip loosening on her resolve with every second, but when Mina leaned up and kissed her cheek, it snapped the last bit of chain. Nayeon tilted Mina’s face back towards hers, with a finger tucked under her chin, and kissed her again. 

Again, and again, and again, until every last bit of tension was drained away. 

Nayeon was fucking doomed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Momo wasn't even in this chapter, and yet I felt like I should've been looking over my shoulder while I was writing lol. Somebody's gonna get their ass whooped when she gets back
> 
> Yay for first kisses


End file.
